Trapped in Ice
by Born of True Destiny
Summary: Frozenkit lives in her brother's shadow. Taking the path of a medicine cat seems to be the only way she could shine. With the limits of her new role, the life she wanted is not as the Clan's healer, and she never could have imagined that the anger and hatred that has built up inside of her would one day lead her to fighting the battle with herself that she can't win. Rated T.
1. Prologue and Allegiances

**Hi. I am Born of True Destiny, or Destiny for short. This is a new story I am writing called Trapped in Ice. Before we get started, there are several things I'd like to say. **

**First off, I am super excited for this story. I just hope it won't turn out like my other one, Shaded Fate. That story is on a temporary break, until I can think it all through. For all my fans, do not worry! That story will get finished. Just not anytime soon. Who knows? Maybe I'll fiddle around with it during this story!**

**This story is going to be dark, depressing and emoish...I guess you can say. If you aren't up for it, then you don't have to read, but I'd appreciate it if you gave it a chance. It's actually really funny how twisted it is considering I am bright-hearted and sweet. This will be really different and fun for me.**

**The rating was a pretty hard decision for me. Considering its wickedness and all of the blood later in the story, I really had to think about it. But I decided not to scare you away with the letter M so its just going to be rated T. Let's keep our fingers crossed. **

**Okay, so without further ado, I present to you, Trapped in Ice!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors :)**

A light snow coated the leaves that lay frozen on the ground. In the distance, the faint gray light of dawn streaked the shadowed horizon. A white and gray tom sat at the edge of the clearing, where an endless expanse of trees shed even more darkness to the sinister lands beyond. He faces away from everything else, eyes closed. Every so often, his gaze would appear, a soft green gaze stare that was now lost in disappointment.

Echoing paw steps sounded behind the tom. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a silver she-cat sit next to him. Her muzzle bore three scarlet marks, and by how deep they were, the gray and white tom knew they were scars she would have forever.

Seconds passed, and neither of them said a word. They just looked blankly into the trees, watching as the diminutive ice crystals settled upon the ground.

At last, the silver she-cat spoke, her voice grave. "Do you think we were changed?"

The gray and white tom made no reply for several moments. "In what way?"

"In anyway," she said. "Do you think we were changed?"

"No," the tom mewed, "But I think..." he trailed off, trying to swallow the sorrow that threatened to spill over his words. "But I think we were warned."

"Warned?"

"Yes, and in more ways than one," the tom sighed. "StarClan never told me of this. And they would've if they had known. It just goes to show you, that not everything can be foreseen, not even by our powerful ancestors."

"And another way?"

"There is always a strong possibility, that it could be who you least suspect."

"So you didn't know?" asked the silver she-cat.

"Not right away," the white and gray tom admitted, "But I should've. I could've put an end to everything before it even began. If I had-"

"Don't put yourself down about this, Hailblaze. It wasn't your fault."

"You may believe it," Hailblaze hissed, "They may believe it-" he flicked his tail towards the clearing. "-but it will never be true until I believe it myself."

The she-cat stared intensely at him, her gaze burning. When she saw the anguished look on his face, though, she started to feel sympathetic. "What could you have done to cause it? Name one thing."

"It's not what I did," Hailblaze whispered. He stared at his front right paw. A thread of crimson liquid ran from his claws along the ground, painting the grass red. At the sight, he closed his eyes and a sigh shook his body. "It's what I didn't do."

The she-cat blinked sadly.

Hailblaze curled his claws inward, scarring the hard ground under him. In his mind he saw flashes of black and red, but most of all, he saw white lights, glinting like ice in his mind. He revealed his gaze and stared painfully at the she-cat. "If I had done something...anything, I could have saved countless lives."

"But only four were lost today."

"Today," said Hailblaze. "But can you imagine over the seasons?" His voice cracked at the last word. "And by the way, not four lives...five."

The silver she-cat just stared, and then a look of realization flickered across her expression. "Yes," she agreed. "Five."

She and Hailblaze sat together as the snow fell upon them. A cold breeze ruffled their pelts, and the she-cat shivered, but Hailblaze did not move. It was as if he did not even feel it.

"You will become the next leader," he murmured. "And you will make a fine one. But I won't be here to witness it for long. I am an old cat. Eventually, you will have to find a new medicine cat."

At this, the she-cat smiled. She didn't know why, but she did. "Don't fret. We are okay for now. But how will we find one if you refuse to take an apprentice?"

"And I'm certainly not going to take one now," growled Hailblaze. "You will have to figure something out, Graydawn, but that will be the most challenging thing for moons to come."

"Are you sure with that?"

"I am," Hailblaze whispered.

Graydawn nodded. "As you wish. I could never let you down, Hailblaze. Especially not after everything you have gone through." She stared at the blood by his paw. "How does it feel?"

"How does what feel?"

"The blood. On your paw."

Hailblaze clearly seemed uneasy at the question, but he held up his paw to look the scarlet blood smeared on his claws and pad. "I don't know how to describe it. I guess it feels...numb."

"Like ice?"

The gray and white tomcat put his paw down and watched as the dawn turned to day. With a brief flick of his tail, he looked Graydawn in the eyes. "Yeah," he meowed. "Like ice."

**Allegiances**

****ThunderClan

Leader: Flickerstar- large ginger tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Mousewhisper- small light brown tabby she-cat

Medicine Cat: Hailblaze- gray and white tom with green eyes

Warriors:

Beetletooth- dark gray tom with blue eyes

Poppyfall- dappled golden she-cat

Talonfoot- tabby tom (**Apprentice:** Rabbitpaw)

Wolfleap- gray tom with amber eyes (**Apprentice: **Whitepaw)

Dusksky- grayish-brown tabby she-cat

Oakshade- dark brown tabby tom with white paws and green eyes

Graydawn- silver she-cat (**Apprentice: **Stormpaw)

Frostfoot- white she-cat

Badgerfang- black tom with white spots

Branchtail- dark brown tabby tom with white paws, chest and muzzle

Nightwhisker- black tom with big blue eyes

Apprentices:

Rabbitpaw- ginger and white tom

Whitepaw- white and silver she-cat with amber eyes

Stormpaw- silver tom with amber eyes

Queens:

Snowshine- white she-cat with a beautiful sleek coat and yellow eyes (mother to Oakshade's kits: Frozenkit and Lionkit)

Leafpelt- ginger and tawny she-cat with white paws (mother to Wolfleap's kits: Stonekit, Smallkit, Nettlekit)

Kits:

Frozenkit: small white she-cat with green eyes

Lionkit: big light brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Stonekit: dark gray tom

Smallkit: undersized tawny she-cat with blue eyes

Nettlekit: dark gray tom with amber eyes

ShadowClan

Leader: Breezestar- gray tabby tom

Deputy: Streamtail- silver tom

Medicine Cat: Spiralwhisker- white tom

WindClan

Leader: Runningstar- tabby tom

Deputy: Pinewhisker- black tom

Medicine Cat: Goldenwillow- gold she-cat (**Apprentice: **Squirrelfur- pale gray she-cat)

RiverClan

Leader: Yellowstar- golden she-cat

Deputy: Skyheart- blue-gray she-cat

Medicine Cat: Whispershadow- black and white she-cat

**Sooo...that was the prologue for Trapped in Ice! Not the most exciting prologue ever, but still pretty good if you ask me! Thank you so much for everything! And please enjoy this story. Again, sorry to my fans that love Shaded Fate, but it will be back! I promise! **

**~Destiny**

**P.S. I forgot to mention this earlier but yes, this is the story that goes with the one-shot.**


	2. Chapter 1- Meet the nursery!

**Hello my dear lovelies. Welcome back to my new story, Trapped in Ice! How long have you been waiting to meet the main character? Well I guess not that long since the story just started but I have been waiting a while to write from her point of view so don't judge me! *runs away sobbing***

**Okay, so here you go! Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. **

_Part One- Broken Dreams_

Chapter One

"Snowshine?" a young voice asked. "Leafpelt?"

"Ah, hello, Rabbitpaw. Is there something you need?"

"No, but I brought you two a squirrel." With a _thud, _something hit the ground.

"Thank you."

"No problem."

Frozenkit opened her eyes just soon enough to see the ginger tail vanish out of the nursery. She stared with a wide gaze at that gray creature that laid limply two tail lengths away. It's bushy tail was stretched out towards her, and she reached out to bat it with her paw.

"No, Frozenkit."

She looked up to see the cool yellow glare of her mother. She wore a stern expression on her face, one to match her words. "You don't play with food."

Frozenkit blinked, and then lowered her head in shame. "I know, Mama. I won't do it again." She snapped her gaze back up to look in her mother's eyes. She hoped that by doing so, it would show Snowshone she meant it.

"That's what you said last time you did it."

Frozenkit's tail drooped. Snowshine looked away and pawed the squirrel closer to her. After taking a bite, she pushed over to a ginger and tawny she-cat. "Here Leafpelt. You must be starving."

The Queen smiled gratefully and took a few nibbles of the prey. Frozenkit watched as the two she-cats exchanged conversation and passed the squirrel back and forth.

She didn't like being a kit. She didn't like being the smallest kit worse. For everything she did, her mother would be there saying, "No, this," and, "No, that." She wasn't big enough to eat solid prey yet, which made her feel even smaller than she already was. Watching her denmates delightfully share morsels with one another, and it was torture.

Snowshine had made a rule that she couldn't stray so far as three fox-lengths from the nursery. "I don't want you getting under the big warriors' paws. They'd crush you in an instant."

Frozenkit tried to argue. She tried to make a point. She tried to be right for once, but no one would ever listen.

She was two moons old, two moons and one quarter. She counted the nights that went by; the last thing she thought of before she went to sleep. Slowly in her mind, she would hear her echoing voice assuring, "I'm one day closer to being a warrior."

A warrior was all she ever wanted to be. At least then would cats listen to her. At least then they would the care about what she had to say.

At least then she could finally live her life.

"Good morning," a deep voice rang outside the nursery entrance. Frozenkit recognized the voice, and she recognized the words, but she could never recognize the cat that would walk into the den. Every day, she saw him, a strong dark brown tom with those shimmering green eyes, but who he was didn't seem to matter to her. Who she was didn't seem to matter to him.

"Oakshade," greeted Leafpelt, when his broad shape appeared in front of them.

"Right on time, as always," purred Snowshine. She blinked lovingly at him and angled her ears to the curve of her belly. Frozenkit's tiny claws flexed.

"Lionkit," called Oakshade softly.

A light brown tabby kit, with thick her and the shoulders of his father stirred beside Snowshine. A head popped up, and two bright yellow eyes appeared. The kit flashed an excited grin when he met Oakshade's gaze and he leaped from where he lay.

"Come on! What are you waiting for?" he asked, slipping under the tabby's leg.

Oakshade laughed hardily, it was a laugh the boomed in your ears, and followed him out. "Hello...Frozenkit."

"Hello..._father._"

Yes, Oakshade was not only Lionkit's father, but her own. Every day, if the day was clear, he would take Lionkit out for some play-fighting. Or at least that's what they'd call it. Frozenkit would watch them sometimes. Though Oakshade went extremely easy on her brother, it was harsh for a kit. She knew they were really training battle moves. The two first had started it about a half moon ago. The first time, she had walked into it, wanting to join. Snowshine shoved her out of the mess and told her that she was too small for difficult training like that. It was never fair, not as long as Lionkit was there to unbalance the weight of things.

"Do not speak to your father like that."

Frozenkit paid barely any attention to the scold. She just stared into nothingness as the Clan interacted outside her invisible barriers.

* * *

Leafpelt's kits were no fun to be around. At almost six moons of age, they were to become apprentices, and Frozenkit had had about enough of their boasting.

Smallkit was just like her mother, calm and friendly, but when she got into things with her brothers, she was about as tranquil as a river during a rain storm. She tended to keep away from Frozenkit, like all other cats did, but she was the one that probably tolerated her most.

Nettlekit, with his spiky fur and his excited look at things, looked like he had just gone through a four season windstorm. Of the group, he was probably the most hyper. One heartbeat he'd want to go explore the territory, the next he'd be cowering in his mother's flank after seeing a lead move to the breeze.

Stonekit was the leader of the three, and by far Frozenkit's least favorite. He was always the one to be getting into trouble with the elders or attempting to sneak out of camp to discover a fox den, but whatever he was doing, he was never still. Often times, he would try getting Frozenkit to join his expeditions, of course only to get her into trouble with Snowshine. She was good at resisting though, even when he promised her things like prey and a chance to meet the apprentices. They were four moons older than her, and yet she felt like she was the only real grown cat in the nursery. Snowshine and Leafpelt were always off in there little worlds, only coming out when Frozenkit did things that were only foolish through their eyes. The three were, as described, troublesome, and Lionkit was a selfish little twerp.

She loved him though.

Yes, it appeared most often that she had grown a deep hatred for her brother. Snowshine would glare at her with an icy gaze that made her skin crawl whenever she said something insensitive. Lionkit tried to be nice to her a lot. Though when excited her ignored her, but when she felt left out, he would sometimes tell her something to make her laugh. She was clearly jealous of him, but he took no care.

All she wanted was to be a warrior. Frozenkit didn't feel that when her own brother was treated higher than herself that she would never be one. She wanted to join in the training. She wanted to get to know her father better, but she was always too small for everything.

Snowshine was taking a morning nap. Leafpelt was grooming her kit's fur to their annoyance. She was completely unnoticed. They wouldn't know if she snuck out for a few minutes, just to observe the training, right? Not even Oakshade would have to know. No one except her.

Frozenkit rose from the nest and padded outside, only stirring the tiniest amount of bracken. The day was clear, but the morning was cold. She had heard Snowshine and Leafpelt discussing the time of leafbare coming, and that prey would be scarce and the air would always be chilly as long as the season wore on. The nursery was always stuffy and warm. She wasn't used to the bitter air.

But, if she omitted the feeling in her fur, she could see that the sky above was clear as fresh water, and only one puffy white cloud dotted the pool of azure she saw through the thin and bare treetops. Colorful leaves dappled the forest floor, stirring at the slightest breeze and flowing through the air at the strongest. So many cats of all sizes and colors either walked the camp or dozed in the sun. And in the middle of it all, stood a massive, gray stone that seemed to reach the sky.

Frozenkit had seen it all before, but it felt like she was reliving it again, like the world in front of her was a whole new place unexplored by even the strongest creatures. Delightful scents swam in the air and made her jaws water with hunger. ThunderClan looked amazing!

A grunt of frustration coaxed her to turn her head. About ten fox lengths off-and beyond her limit-were the two tabbies. Oakshade had sidestepped a blow from Lionkit, and now her brother lay splayed out on the grass. She stifled a _mrrow _of amusement seeing him like that. Oakshade waited as he got up and faced his father.

"That move is way too hard," he whined. He shook out a leaf on his pelt, and it fell gently to the ground. "Can we try something else?"

Oakshade threw him a stern look. "Now, when you are an apprentice, your mentor isn't going to just let you give up when something becomes to hard. You have to practice until you get it right." He leaned down to get closer. "Picture this. You're in battle with ShadowClan. The Clan _leader _is determined to flay you like you were his prey. He dodges your every move. What do you do? Let him win?"

"No!" exclaimed Lionkit. "I kill him!"

Oakshade's whiskers twitched. "If you must...but no. You do this move to throw him off guard, and pin him down!" He pounced on the grass. "Try the move again!"

Lionkit wasted no time, he crouched, wriggling his haunches. With a grunt, he leaped. Oakshade quickly jerked to the other side, but that is where Lionkit actually managed to go. His paws hit Oakshade in the foreleg, and the dark brown tabby yowled and pretended to seem hurt and fall to the ground.

Frozenkit blinked in confusion. _I don't get it. All he did was leap at him. What's the point of the move? Why's it so special? _

Oakshade laughed and sprang to his paws. "Very good! You learned where my good side is, and jumped there!"

Lionkit puffed out his chest. "You thought I was going to land beside you, but I got you where you thought it was safe!"

_It still doesn't make any sense! He should be doing things like this! _Frozenkit took a paw and shredded the ears of an invisible enemy while lunging to wrap her teeth over its shoulder. She dodged an imaginary blow and released her old, twisting to the back and kicking her hind legs out. _I'd give a ShadowClan warrior some real wounds to think about. _

"Frozenkit!"

She white kit whirled to face the nursery entrance. Her mother stood there, fury dancing in her eyes like fire. "What do you think you are doing!?"

"I was just-"

"You're not supposed to be training! Get inside now!"

"I wasn't training!" spat Frozenkit.

"Don't you dare talk back to me!" hissed Snowshine. "I told you got go inside! So go inside, and don't come out again!"

Frozenkit gaped at her mother. She wasn't fighting, she was just pretending to! She looked over her shoulder to see her father's surprised gaze and her brother's innocent one. She gritted her teeth and walked past Snowshine into the nursery, determined to sleep until she was six moons old.

**Poor Frozenkit! To be honest, I didn't really expect the first chapter to be like this at all, but here it is, in black and white :) Frozenkit is pretty mature if you ask me. Review please!**


	3. Chapter 2- Doesn't everyone dream?

**Thanks for the reviews! I hope that you enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. The last time I checked, my name wasn't Erin Hunter. :) **

Chapter Two

Stonekit batted at Smallkit's ears. The she-cat squealed with delight and reared up on her hind paws. Stonekit dodged her blow and leaped on top of her. Both of them broke out in laughter.

"I can't believe it!" Stonekit exclaimed between gasps for air. "We're going to be 'paws tomorrow!"

Smallkit nodded her head vigorously. "I can't wait to see who Flickerstar has chosen for our mentors!"

Frozenkit watched with thoughtful eyes as the two resumed their play. _Flickerstar. I have to remember his name...I wonder if Lionkit has met him?_

She had heard the leader's name many times, but it was brought up so briefly that she could never keep it in mind. She wanted to learn every cat's name in the camp, so that they would see her as intelligent when she finally met them.

Frozenkit continued to watch Stonekit and Smallkit stumble around as they tried unsuccessfully to pin one another to the floor. Leafpelt, who had been dozing, was suddenly aware of everything going on. "Come on you two! You're going to be apprentices tomorrow! Stop fighting like immature ducklings." The words were harsh but Leafpelt's voice was warm with love.

Had Snowshine ever spoken to Frozenkit like that?

"Nettlekit," Leafpelt said to her son. "Don't you want to play too?"

"Not really," the dark gray kit mewed. Frozenkit looked at him as sat in the corner of the nursery, his tail wrapped neatly over his paws and his eyes dull.

It was peculiar to see him that way. Nettlekit was always running around and doing all of these crazy things. It struck Frozenkit as utterly anomalous that he of all three kits would be doing nothing but watching the action happen without him.

She pawed herself out of the nest and scrambled to where he sat. Nettlekit turned his head slightly to look at her, but said nothing as she approached him. She stuck out her nose and sniffed him gently. He didn't smell sick or hurt. Frozenkit tilted her head. "What's wrong, Nettlekit? Why aren't you playing with your littermates?"

He looked down at her (he was twice her size), and blinked.

"Do you feel okay?" she asked, this time expecting a reply.

"I feel fine," he finally responded. "I just...don't want to play."

"Are you kidding?" Frozenkit meowed. "You love playing! You always go around boasting that you're going to be the best warrior ever! Why aren't you saying that now?" She peered over at Stonekit, who was trying to aim a blow at Smallkit's flank. "You know what you would usually be doing? Holding Stonekit down and pretending to rip his throat open! Remember how they would scream and yowl for you to stop? You guys would laugh and laugh and have a great time! Why aren't you doing that now?"

Nettlekit shrugged. "I don't know, I just-I don't want to."

"Do you not want to be a warrior?" asked Frozenkit. "Do you want to be the medicine cat or something like that? I thought every cat had the dreams of becoming a warrior. I thought every cat wanted to be leader."

"Well, you're wrong. Hey, don't feel down about it. You are just two moons old," said Nettlekit.

Frozenkit felt her jaws part in a gape. She closed her mouth and looked at Nettlekit as he stared at his brother and sister.

What he said was true, she was just two moons old-two moons, a quarter and a day- but why could no one see her as anything else but that? She was a kit, yes. She was small, yes. But why could she not be as good and as wise and as strong as the rest of them.

Nettlekit of course, was also a kit, she should not take his word seriously. But she felt that his word mattered. As eccentric and hyper as he was, he did a well job at observing things. Why could he not see the Frozenkit was more than just that-a kit?

She was going to mention something about his words, how they stung and stirred a little anger within her, but she did not think it was worth it to begin a pointless dispute that could get the Queens demanding that they pipe down. So instead, she said, "Well I have that dream. As does Lionkit and Smallkit, and even the deaf elders out there that Stonekit wants to be Stonestar someday."

Nettlekit looked at her questioningly. "Really? It all seems really ridiculous. At first, I did want to be a warrior, an honored, big strong one, but I look out in the camp and think about how many warriors are out there in the Clan. Honestly, Frozenkit, not all of them will become leader."

"I know that!" mewled Frozenkit. Her neck fur bristled. "But we still all want to right?"

"I think it's a long shot for any of us to become leader. You're too tiny-"

"Why does that matter?"

Nettlekit ignored her and continued. "Smallkit is too mouse-brained, Stonekit is too arrogent, and I'm just not up for it. Though Lionkit has a good shot at it. He's already training!"

Frozenkit growled. Everyone thought that Lionkit was perfect. Could they not just see past her size? "Remember yesterday, when I snuck out of the nursery?"

"How could I forget? Snowshine was yelling at you forever."

She swallowed at the reminder. "Well I was watching Oakshade and Lionkit practicing and they were doing absolutely nothing. They were just pouncing on each other. What is he really learning?"

To her surprise, it was Leafpelt who answered. "He is just a kit. Once he gets older he'll be learning more advanced moves." The ginger and tawny she-cat looked over at the two playing kits, "Stonekit and Smallkit aren't using their claws."

"Hey, you might as well call me Stone_paw_ now," Stonekit remarked.

Frozenkit blinked at Leafpelt. _He is just a kit, _she had said.

_Then why do they treat him like a warrior? _

Nettlekit winced when Smallkit bit Stonekit's tail. Frozenkit frowned at him in puzzlement. "Are...you hurt?"

"Oh...no," Nettlekit replied.

"Then why did-"

She was cut off by the sound of Snowshine slipping inside after her morning walk. She acknowledged Leafpelt with a nod and settled down in her nest.

Frozenkit flicked her tail in goodbye, to which Nettlekit made no response. She padded over to her mother and prodded her lightly with her paw. Snowshine's shoulder rolled as she felt it and she turned her head around. "Hello, Frozenkit," she greeted.

"Hi," Frozenkit replied. "There's-there's something I want to ask you."

Snowshine made a small movement indicating she wanted Frozenkit to go on.

"Well, this is going to sound kind of weird, but...why did you name us what you named us?"

"What?"

"I mean, why did you name me Frozenkit, and Lionkit, Lionkit?" she asked.

"Oh," Snowshine meowed. "Well, that's simple. You are Frozenkit because your pelt is white, white like ice." She smiled as she went on. "Your brother is Lionkit, because he was a big and strong kit at the start. Your father picked it out. He'll be a good warrior."

Frozenkit narrowed her eyes. "Okay...will I make a good warrior?"

Snowshine blinked at the question. "Oh, darling, only time will tell."

Frozenkit dug her tiny claws into the ground. "Do you _think _I'll make a good warrior?"

Snowshine scoffed. "Of course I do. All mothers do. I can see you now, chasing after a plump squirrel in the newleaf, and Lionkit, battling off strong ShadowClan cats."

"Can you see me battling off strong ShadowClan cats?"

"You'll be trained good enough to do that," Snowshine murmured.

Despite the warmth in her voice, Frozenkit felt offended at the words. Good enough? Just good enough? Why not amazingly? Why not perfectly? Why just good enough?

Frozenkit sighed and peered outside the nursery entrance. There she saw Lionkit out there, talking with an apprentice. An apprentice! He wasn't going to talk to Stonekit or Nettlekit, no they weren't _good enough. _He had to talk to the big apprentices.

"I can see it now," Snowshine whispered. "You two trying to climb the Owl Tree. Both of you will reach the top, sending off a beautiful, victorious chorus to all that have ears."

Frozenkit looked down, she knew exactly would be there first.

**So, that puts an end to the second chapter of Trapped in Ice! I hope you enjoyed. Please review and look out for chapter three!**

**~Destiny**


	4. Chapter 3- Unknowing

**Wow. The reviews I have now are the most I've gotten from three chapters! Thank you for every word! I hope you enjoy this next chapter. **

**One more thing, I know I'm probably not the best from writing from a kits's point of view. I've noticed myself that I am making Frozenkit a little too wise for one so young. Forgive me for the habit. Anyways, on to the story!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Warriors. Never have, never will. :( **

Chapter Three

Leafpelt frantically licked Stonekit's head, trying to get his thick gray fur into place. The tom tried wriggling away from her, but she wouldn't let him escape her rasping tongue.

"Mama," he whined. "You've been doing this forever! Let's go!"

Leafpelt pulled away and purred, "Don't you want to look good for your apprentice ceremony?" Her ears angled outside, where ThunderClan was beginning to surround the Highrock.

"Of course I do!" Stonekit meowed. He puffed out his chest. "But I always look good!"

"Arrogant furball," grumbled Smallkit.

"Alright," Leafpelt said, peering outside. "The Clan is waiting for us. Let's hurry before the day grows short!"

She led her three kits outside. Frozenkit couldn't help but notice that Nettlekit's tail was drooping. A scratchy sound emitted from the ground as it dragged along the nursery floor. _What is with the cat? _she thought._  
_

Lionkit shook with excitement. "Oh, Mama, can I please go out there and watch?" he asked.

"I guess so," Snowshine purred.

"Can I, mother?"

The white she-cat looked down at Frozenkit with soft yellow eyes. "I suppose," she replied. "Just don't go beyond your limit. I don't want you getting under anyone's paws."

Frozenkit bit back a retort. Arguing wouldn't help the privilage. Snowshine herded her outside before trotting over to sit by Oakshade.

The Clan was surrounding the giant silver rock that jutted from the ground. Atop it, stood a large ginger tom. His amber eyes shimmered in the sunlight. _That must be the Clan leader, _she thought.

Stonekit, Smallkit, and Nettlekit stood on the Highrock as well, on a small ledge that emerged from the side. Stonekit and Smallkit looked about ready to burst with excitement. Their pelts bristled with exhilaration. Nettlekit, however, stood with a completely expressionless face.

"I, Flickstar," the ginger tom said, "leader of ThunderClan am now going to perform one of my favorite ceremonies. The time when we gain three more apprentices. Stonekit, Smallkit and Nettlekit have reached their sixth moon, and it is my duty to award them with the apprentice names and mentors." He turned to the three kits, and a golden sheen flowed across his pelt like a liquid fire. "From now on, until you are ready to become warriors, you three shall be known as Stonepaw, Smallpaw, and Nettlepaw. Stonepaw, your mentor shall be Beetletooth. Beetletooth, you have trained Badgerfang into a fine warrior, and I trust that you will do the same for Stonepaw."

A dark gray tom rushed forward. Stonepaw beamed and hopped off of the Highrock to touch noses with his new mentor. A loud rumble of joy came from both Leafpelt, and their father, Wolfleap.

"Smallpaw, I have chosen Oakshade to mentor you. He was excellent battle skills, which I hope will be passed on to you."

_Oakshade is Smallpaw's mentor! _Frozenkit exclaimed in her head. _What will that mean for his training sessions with Lionkit? _

After the mentor and apprentice greeted each other, Flickerstar continued. "And lastly, Nettlekit, your mentor is Icyclaws. She has great confidence and loyalty, which will be great qualities for you in the future."

Unlike his littermates, Nettlekit did not rush down enthusiastically to meet his mentor, rather he sluggishly clawed his way down the Highrock and dragged himself to touch noses with the white she-cat that waited for him.

No one really seemed to take notice of the tom's behavior except Frozenkit. The Clan began shouting the three cats' names. Of all of them, Leafpelt's and Wolfleap's voices were the loudest.

Flickerstar looked down on Stonekit, Smallkit and Nettlekit with interest. "May StarClan bid you good luck," he said, just loud enough for the entire Clan to hear. His tail flicked to dismiss the warriors and he vanished behind the Highrock.

_So this is what a real apprentice ceremony is like, _she thought. She glanced around the camp, wondering who were mentor will be. _Two moons, a quarter, and two days... _

A high-pitched meow sounded from beside her. A white and silver she-cat was walking with a gray tom and a ginger and white tom. Lionkit was trailing behind them, as if he was trying to appear as one of them.

The she-cat parted her jaws in a yawn. "We better become warriors soon. Having two more apprentices with us is too much for our den to handle. She looked intensely at the gray tom. "I already lose enough sleep with you snoring all night."

"Whitepaw, don't be a fox-heart," he replied. "I don't snore."

"Yes you do."

"Do not!"

The ginger and white tom pushed himself between them until they stopped arguing. "Stop it! Do siblings really always fight like this?" he asked.

"You don't know what it's like Rabbitpaw, putting up with this one," Whitepaw muttered with a roll of her eyes. She paused and looked down at Lionkit, with a humorous smile she said, "You better not become apprentices before we leave. Trust me, it's for your own good."

The gray apprentice growled.

"Frozenkit!" called Snowshine.

Frozenkit turned around and padded into the nursery. Snowshine waited for her to settle into the nest before getting in herself.

"It looks like Lionkit is becoming friends with the apprentices," she said half to herself. "He'll be a very popular warrior."

"Mother, do you think I'll make a lot of friends?" asked Frozenkit.

Snowshine inhaled, as if she was going to say something but forgot what it is. She breathed out quietly and gazed at Frozenkit knowingly. "Oh, I'm sure you'll meet a few friendly cats during your training, but you have to remember that by that time, Rabbitpaw, Whitepaw and Stormpaw will all be warriors. The other three will be close to their final assessments."

_Excuses, excuses..._

"But," continued Snowshine, "I'm sure that one day, you'll be like me, nursing kits and raising them into fine cats. And for that to happen, you're going to need a mate." She chortled to herself softly.

"Like you have Oakshade?"

"Yes," she replied joyfully. She sighed with delight. "Every kit needs a father."

"_Every _kit?" Frozenkit asked. "Well, then...why does Oaksahde act like I don't exist?"

Snowshine paused, her tail stiffening. A low growl emitted from her thorat as she shot Frozenkit a boisterous glare. "You deny the love that your father feels for you." It wasn't a question.

"He doesn't interact with me," Frozenkit whined, and hating herself for sounding so childish. "It's like all he cares about is Lionkit becoming a warrior, and he isn't even an apprentice yet!"

"If it makes you feel any better, he won't be training Lionkit anymore, considering he has Smallpaw to worry about," Snowshine hissed. Her look of ire softened. "And he'll still love you the same."

Frozenkit didn't reply right away. What was Snowshine thinking she meant? Her gaze drifted to outside the nursery, where the Clan interacted with one another. She spotted Wolfleaf out of the corner of her eyes, his amber eyes glazed with pride that his kits had become apprentices. She snapped her eyes back to Snowshine, who was by that time grooming her long white fur. "Then why doesn't he show it?"

"Hmm?" asked her mother, looking up from her grooming.

"Oakshade, why doesn't he show that he loves me?"

Snowshine scowled with both annoyance and confusion. "You're such a smart kit, my daughter, do you really need him to prove his love to you? You should know very well that he loves you."

"Could you ask him to show me some moves he taught Lionkit?" Frozenkit asked. Half of herself regretted asking. She knew that Snowshine could get pretty worked up when it come to her doing things that she was too "small" for. But the other half was determined to for once hear a yes.

"Frozenkit," sighed the white she-cat, shaking her head. "I keep telling you-"

"No really!" she interrupted. "I'm sure I could learn some! I remember hearing Oakshade talking to Lionkit when he was complaining that it was too hard because Oakshade was bigger. He told him that size or strength didn't matter. It was skill." She pointed at Snowshine with her tail. "Didn't your mentor teach you that?"

Her mother looked down. "She never told me directly...but it was implied." She stretched, parting her jaws in a yawn. "But the answer is still no. At least by that time I was big enough. There's a reason that kits have to be six moons before they begin their training."

"Lionkit isn't six moons," muttered Frozenkit. Snowshine didn't seem to hear.

Frozenkit laid down, placing her head between her paws. It really wasn't fair. You're small and you aren't allowed to do anything except watch, watch and wait.

Suddenly, someone climbed I to the nest beside her, and curled up against her back. Frozenkit looked up, over her shoulder to see Lionkit, his yellow eyes closed, his fur brushing against hers. Did he even know about her feelings?

Lionkit's pelt gave off warmth to Frozenkit. The nice feeling started to make her feel sleepy, and with a last final thought, he drifted off to sleep. _Two moons, one quarter and two days, you're getting their Frozenkit, you're getting there._

__**I hope you all enjoyed it! Please review! **

**~Destiny**


	5. Chapter 4- Hailblaze

**I really appreciate all the reviews guys! Spread the word about this story, because I'm really excited for it. These first few chapters are just kind of working the way up to the awesome plot I have planned out. :) Enjoy this next chapter. **

**I forgot to mention this last chapter, but Icyclaws doesn't belong to me. She belongs to Icyclaws :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors.**

Chapter Four

Frozenkit jolted awake when a paw jabbed into her side. Pain flared in her body as she scrambled away. The same paw reached out and slid through her fur harmlessly. Lionkit was jerking his hind legs in the nest, his front paws curled into his middle. He must'be kicked Snowshine is the spine, because she stirred with a tired sigh and lifted her head.

"Lionkit, my dear were you having a bad dream?" she asked sleepily, eyes drooping.

"No," he groaned, flattening his ears. "My belly aches."

Frozenkit had never seen anyone stand up as quickly as Snowshine did. "Sit tight, son, I'm going to get the medicine cat!"

_Medicine cat? _

Lionkit didn't awknowledge her, but she raced out of the nursery. Frozenkit looked down at her convulsing brother in interest.

It had been half a moon since Leafpelt's kits became apprentices. Though she had never been friends with any of them, it was still lonelier than usual. Lionkit didn't spend much time training with Oakshade any longer, but the light brown tabby had visited his son every other day to see how he was doing on practicing the moves. Frozenkit felt the urge to show off a few of her own tactics, but Snowshine watched her like a hawk.

A few nights before, the ground was powered with a cold, soft white fluff that shone when the sun rained down upon it. The fluff numbed her paws when she walked in it, but it was unlike Frozenkit had ever seen before, therefore she enjoyed the feeling.

"Mama," Lionkit had said as he watched the first few flakes drift to the forest floor before sleep, "What is that stuff?"

"Snow," she replied. "It is what I got my name from."

Lionkit seemed so excited to see it at first, but now as he lay groaning and wimpering, he looked so much in pain.

Snowshine slipped through the entrance, followed by a white tom with gray patches. The tom was young, younger than Snowshine or Oakshade, but his eyes held a certain wisdom that made Frozenkit start to feel interest in him.

"A belly ache?" he asked. His voice was deep and strong, mature. Lionkit winced in responce and he continued. "I'm going to need you to corporate with me, okay Lionkit?"

"Hailblaze, just tell us what's wrong with him!" snapped Snowshine from behind him.

Without turning to face her, the gray and white to face her, the white and gray tom said, "These things take patience. Do not worry Lionkit by fretting right over my shoulder."

Frozenkit gaped. She had never heard anyone order Snowshine around like that.

Hailblaze lightly placed his paw over Lionkit's belly. Lionkit yelped with pain and jerked away, his claws flexing over his fur.

Frozenkit sniffed him. "Have you eaten anything weird last night or something?"

"Frozenkit!" snarled Snowshine. "Do not interfere!"

"No, no," Hailblaze murmured, gazing at her with gentle green eyes. "She actually asked the correct question. Lionkit, did you eat anything peculiar recently?"

Frozenkit blinked in surprise. She had actually bee praised? She felt her chest flutter with happiness.

Lionkit held his breath like it would make the pain go away. He exhaled and stared at Hailblaze. "I-I don't think-" he cut off when a wave of agony came over him. "No. But I drank a lot of milk last night."

"Too much food?" questioned Hailblaze. "Are you sure their wasn't more to it?"

"Did you eat crow-food or something?" Frozenkit asked. "Did the apprentices make you do it?"

"Frozenkit," Snowshine warned.

"What does the pain feel like?"

"I don't know!" exclaimed Lionkit. "It just _hurts. _I feel like there's something churning in my belly. Get it out!"

Hailblaze's whiskers twitched with amusement. "Okay. Eat these." He picked up a few leaves from behind him and dropped them at Lionkit's nose. "They'll make you sick, so you can feel better."

Lionkit's face twisted in though of eating but he obediently licked up the leaves. After a few chews, he spat them out. "Gross!" he yowled. "Those taste awful!"

Hailblaze's eyes lit up with anger. "Look what you've done! You're lucky that those leaves were still fresh. Do you think that it's easy looking for herbs in leafbare? Eat them!"

"But they're disgusting!" complained Lionkit.

"_Eat. Them," _snarled Hailblaze.

After many moments hesitation, Lionkit sighed and licked up the half chewed herbs. Frozenkit saw as he swallowed them with disgust. Just seconds later, his throat convulsed and he retched, throwing up a puddle of slime. Frozenkit wrinkled her nose in repugnance.

"That's good," Hailblaze said. "How do you feel now?"

"A little better," murmured Lionkit, spitting out some saliva. "But I have a revolting taste in my mouth."

Frozenkit sniffed his vomit.

"That is completely inappropriate, stop that now!" growled, Snowshine.

She withdrew and blinked. "It smells like...mouse," she decided. With a curious gaze, she looked down at her brother. "Did you eat a bad morsel?"

"Well, yesterday I tasted mouse from the fresh-kill pile," Lionkit admitted, his head down.

"It must've been diseased," whispered Hailblaze. "Good thing we got it out before anything bad happened. Did anyone else eat the mouse?"

"I think Stonepaw had a bite or two..." Lionkit mewed.

"I'll go check on him," said the medicine cat. He looked at Snowshine. "Don't let him eat for about another sunrise. If he's feeling fine by them, give him a little milk, but not too much."

"Very well. Thank you, Hailblaze."

"Don't just thank me, thank your daughter. She helped out too."

Snowshine cast a long glance at Frozenkit. She laughed. "Yeah, I guess she's a little medicine cat now," she said.

Frozenkit widened her eyes. _I'm gonna be a warrior! Not a medicine cat! I didn't even know who he was until now!_

Hailblaze dipped his head, and began heading for the nursery entrance.

"Wait!" Frozenkit exclaimed, running after him. "I want to ask you a few things!"

Hailblaze turned to look at her with curiosity in his gaze.

"What exactly is a medicine cat?"

"Oh," he said. "Well, we are the healers of the Clan. When cats are sick or injured, that's where I come in. I also help deliver kits. I helped your mother when she was having you and Lionkit."

"But, I'm confused," Frozenkit replied. "Why don't you become a warrior? Why don't you want to fight other Clans or become leader? What's the fun of gathering up herbs everyday? Don't you hunt? Please at least tell me you hunt."

"No. That's not what we train to do."

"Then what do you train to do?"

Hailblaze cocked his head. "Uh...identify medicines and interpret signs from StarClan." He flicked an ear. "You may not believe it, but our training takes longer than yours."

"I thought that maybe Nettlekit wanted to be a medicine cat, but then I thought it was crazy. How can anyone want to be shut in a den all day organizing leaves?"

"Me that's who," Hailblaze snarled. "Our work is _very _important. If it weren't for medicine cats, than your Clan wouldn't be here. I was thinking while helping Lionkit that maybe you were interested in this _art _but I guess I was wrong."

"Just because I have a good nose doesn't make me a medicine cat," growled Frozenkit.

Hailblaze looked at her for a heartbeat, like he was trying to read her thoughts. He meowed, "You got a lot of nerve, kit. A lot of spunk. You're pretty mature for your age, how old are you, two moons?"

_Two moons, three quarters and two days. _"About."

"Well, I'm gonna tell you something. Being part of a Clan isn't about risking your life out on the battlefield. It isn't about how many times you defeat ShadowClan. It isn't about becoming leader, or even being a warrior. It's about being there for your Clanmates when they need you, however they need you. Some days they'll need a hunter, or a fighter, but somedays they'll just need a shoulder to lean on."

Frozenkit blinked in surprise at the tom's words. They touched her in a way she hadn't been before and felt weird, unlike anything she had ever felt before.

Hailblaze dipped his head at her. "I'm going to check on Stonepaw. Do me favor, Frozenkit, and remember those words. Remember those words like your own name. If you ever need me, your _Clanmate, _you know I'll be there."

* * *

Frozenkit stood at the mouth of the nursery, watching as the bare treetops swayed to the cold leafbare breezes. The sun was vanishing under the horizon, casting a pinkish glare to the rim of the sky.

Oakshade slipped through the bramble entrance, followed by his apprentice. She presumed they had returned from battle training, due to the small scratch on Smallpaw's shoulder. He murmured something Frozenkit couldn't hear and Smallpaw nodded before padding off to the apprentice's den. Oakshade started walking towards the nursery, paws crunching the snow underneath him.

"Hello, Frozenkit," he greeted lamely.

She knew he was looking for Lionkit, and she tried to accept it as normal, that she was never going to be the center of attention.

"Hey, Oakshade."

"Is Lionkit around?"

Snowshine came out to greet him. After touching noses with her mate, she said, "I'm afraid he won't be able to practice today. He had a bad bellyache this morning, and it's best that he takes it easy for a bit."

"I see," Oakshade replied. "Okay, but I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait!" Frozenkit exclaimed, startling both of them. "Uh...can you watch me try some moves?"

Both of her parents looked at her like she had grown another tail. Frozenkit felt her pelt heat up, even in the cold. Snowshine simply shook her head.

"But why not? It isn't like I'll be fighting anyone. I just want you to watch."

Oakshade and Snowshine sighed. The white she-cat shrugged. "Fine, but just a few moves."

Frozenkit bristled with excitement. "Really you're going to let me do it?"

"Not for long, it's almost time to go to sleep."

She smiled and walked past the two cats, without going behind her invisible barriers of course. She turned to face them to make sure they were watching. Snowshine looked doubtful whereas Oakshade looked quite diverted.

She took a deep breath in and faced an imaginary enemy. She tiny claws slid out and she launched her self at the "enemy". She caught it over the head with her front paws while digging her back ones into its shoulder. She twisted around, forcing the enemy to the ground and shifted positions quickly to pin it to the floor. Locking her paws in place, she reached down and took some snow in her mouth like it was the scruff and shook it violently. An invisible paw shot up to strike her in the muzzle but she leaped away and swiveled, lashing out a paw and sending three straight blows to the head of the enemy. It fell wounded to the ground and Frozenkit looked at her parents.

Oakshade's expression was blank.

Her heart sank.

Snowshine's expression held shock at her daughter's skills.

It rose just a little.

"Very impressive," Oakshade murmured blandly. "But I don't know if you will learn any of those moves in your training. It was very interesting to see what you have taught yourself."

He touched his nose to Snowshine's ear and padded off, heading for the warrior's den. Snowshine came forward and began herding her into the nursery. Frozenkit turned around to look for her father again, but she didn't see him.

Hailblaze sat not too far off, gazing at her with an emotion that made her skin crawl.

"Good night Frozenkit," Snowshine meowed.

**Well, at least Oakshade got to finally see her moves. *sigh* poor Frozenkit. If only they knew she was actually really awesome. Make sure you review!**

**~Destiny**


	6. Chapter 5- Painful agreement

**Wow! A lot of reviews right now! At least for me. I feel amazing knowing that this story is well-liked. I think we have one more chapter before Frozenkit and Lionkit become apprentices. So hang tight in there! Enjoy this next chapter, and leave a review when you finish reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors **

The day was unusually warm for leafbare. Newleaf was drawing close. The snow that had fallen was now gone, leaving behind sleek, wet grass. Frozenkit laid in the cool sunlight outside the nursery, daydreaming about her apprenticeship. It had been now about three moons since she had first met Hailblaze and was less than a quarter moon away from being a 'paw.

Since then, everything had carried on as it had always. Oakshade came to the nursery every other day to see Lionkit, except now, Frozenkit didn't feel any will to impress him. Snowshine was still trying to skip around the questions Frozenkit asked her about her future, but Frozenkit was beginning to just give up.

She had attended Whitepaw and Stormpaw's warrior ceremony. They were now Whitefur and Stormshade. Rabbitpaw had not become warriors with them. Frozenkit remembered seeing him bent over in pain, coughing and coughing. She had not seen him since.

She was so close. So close from being free from all the neglect and ignorance; so close from proving that she should be seen for more than just her size; so close from being looked upon with doubt of her strength.

She was going to be a good warrior. Loyal, strong and true. Pure like the color of her fur.

Across the camp, she saw a light brown tabby she-cat surrounded by a group of ThunderClan warriors. The gray to she recognized as Stonepaw's mentor, Beetletooth was sent away with the apprentice and three other warriors. Another patrol, led by a tabby tom was soon to follow them out of camp.

_Patrols, _thought Frozenkit, _and one day, I'll be part of them. One day I'll be leading them, with my apprentice. _She noted the small size of the light brown tabby she-cat. _The deputy. What did Snowshine say her name was? Oh yes, Mousewhisper. _

She looked away from the patrols and continued searching around camp. _I've got to become familiar with everything before I am apprenticed. I will show Oakshade and Snowshine that I can be a good warrior! _

A familiar gray shape was slouching at the entrance of the apprentice's den. His amber eyes drooped heavily with sleep...or was it boredom? Frozenkit realized that it was Nettlepaw. She hadn't spoken to the tom since the day before his ceremony. He wasn't gaining any enthusiasm from the training, and remained particularly silent. When cats walked by him, they'd speed up, shooting him a half confused, half uncertain expression.

Suddenly, Nettlepaw met her gaze and Frozenkit flinched. She averted his eyes and stared at the sky, trying to avoid speaking with him. She could hear his paw steps as he drew closer, and she held her breath.

"Good, morning...Frozenkit."

She looked at him, and looked away again, up close, she could see an odd madness in his gaze that made her pelt bristle. She didn't respond to his greeting.

"I hear that in a half moon, you'll be becoming an apprentice."

"Actually in a quarter moon and six sunrises," she hissed. "I'm not talking to you. You're weird."

Nettlepaw didn't appear at all insulted. "Don't be immature." His voice was very blank, tipped with not even the slightest amount of edge.

"What's the matter with you? Are you sick or something?"

"No."

"Have you gone insane?"

"No."

"Well then, you have to at least be weird."

Nettlepaw smirked. That surprised Frozenkit. For as long as he was apprenticed, Nettlepaw had been completely mood-less. "I am not any of those things. I am lost."

"Lost?" asked Frozenkit. "But you're right here. How can you be lost?"

"The life of a Clancat isn't what I expected it to be. I guess I'm just not _cut out _for these kinds of things," Nettlepaw replied. "This isn't who I want to be. It makes me feel wrong."

Frozenkit tilted her head and wrinkled her nose. "You're aren't even _trying _to like it, Nettlepaw. You were a kit when you decided it. You barely knew what it would be like, so you just went ahead and-"

"Made assumptions," he finished. "Yes. And I found those assumptions to be true. I am not made for all of the territory protection, and battle training. It's not who I am."

Frozenkit looked at him. He used to be such a happy and hyper little kit, and now he was some kind of, peculiar, lazy, despised cat that no one wanted to talk to, herself included. "Yeah, you're weird. Bye."

Before Nettlepaw could respond, she turned tail and disappeared inside the nursery, where Snowshine was grooming Lionkit's thick fur. If she had noticed Frozenkit, she didn't greet her.

_Hello, I'm right here, _is what Frozenkit wanted to say, but she knew that there was no point.

As she climbed into the nest for a nap, Snowshine peeled away from Lionkit and admired his pelt. "Oh, my son," she purred. "You're so handsome. You will be the father of many strong kits some day!"

Lionkit looked away in embarrassment. "I don't know about that. But I know I will be an amazing warrior! One day I will be leader of this Clan!" He shredded some bracken on the nest with his claws. "I talked to Stonepaw earlier. He's going to be my deputy."

_But _I'm _going to be leader, _Frozenkit thought. _We can't both be one right? _She flicked her tail and said, "I am going to be an amazing warrior too," she said. There was no need to start an argument over the leader subject. She knew what side Snowshine would take anyway.

Snowshine scoffed with disbelief but nodded in agreement. Frozenkit knew what she really thought. Lionkit shrugged his shoulders. "I know you are, Frozenkit, but you are small. It's going to be hard for you to keep up with everything." He shook out his pelt. "Oakshade is excited to see my training. He wants to partner up with my mentor so he can teach Smallpaw and I together. He is really interested in what I have to learn."

"How do you know that?" asked Frozenkit.

"He told me," Lionkit answered nonchalantly.

"Did he say anything about me?"

Lionkit stiffened. "Oh...uh...I don't think I should tell you, Frozenkit. He said it would be best if we kept it between us."

"And why would he say that?"

"He doesn't have to answer if he doesn't want to," Snowshine warned Frozenkit. "If it should only be shared between the two of them, than it is nothing that you should be concerned about."

Frozenkit felt her blood seethe. Without thinking, she snapped. "Of course it's my concern! Because it's about me! I have the right to know!"

Snowshine seemed utterly surprised to hear her daughter speak to her that away, but it was just as quickly replaced with anger. She opened her mouth to scold Frozenkit, but the white kit didn't give her a chance.

"Tell me what he said, Lionkit," she threatened. She had to admit that she sounded powerless. There was traces of fear and uncertainty in her voice that spoke louder than her words.

Her brother swallowed. He obviously ignored the sound of her voice. "I didn't want to tell you, but you're right, you deserve to know."

Snowshine hissed through gritted teeth. "You'll regret asking, Frozenkit."

_You know? _Frozenkit ignored the question and turned her attention back to Lionkit.

"He said that...well he said something like...he said that you'd be better off in the jaws of a badger than learning the ways of a warrior..." his voice trailed off. Yellow eyes flickered to look into green before they averted. "I wanted to defend you, but Oakshade said that it would be best if I just let it be."

Frozenkit stared blankly at her brother, still trying to process what she had heard. There was no way that Oakshade-her own father-said that about her. He had to believe that she would be a good warrior. He just had to.

Snowshine sighed. Maybe it would seem that Frozenkit should be happy that her mother was upset that her daughter had been insulted, but the sad truth was that she just sat there, saying nothing to comfdaughter or deny it. She let Frozenkit suffer in the pain knowing her father didn't care about her anymore than he cared about dirt.

"He'd rather have a fox as a daughter than me," whispered Frozenkit.

No one tried to change her mind. She looked at her mother and her brother, waiting for them to say something, but they each ed just stared at their paws, silence hanging heavily in the air. And yet it all felt...

Empty.

Frozenkit thought about everything that had happened in the past five in a half moons of her life. Her denmates not wanting to play with her; her brother treated with more worth than her; her mother forbidding her from pretty much everything except breathing; her father ignoring her to abandonment. It was clear that they all looked upon her with shame, just because she was smaller than normal would be. She wasn't as beautiful or as friendly as other cats so she was tossed aside. Her introversion placed a part in it, but it was her size that took it all.

Her mother had longed denied her ability to become a warrior, and covered it up with excuses that no one bought, not even Frozenkit when she was two moons old.

And what her father thought was evident now.

StarClan existed somewhere up in the sky. Snowshine, Leafpelt and just about everyone would say their prayers to them before sleep. They watched out for omens, Frozenkit knew. There was no use in believing that it wasn't a sign from StarClan that she was taking the wrong path on being a warrior. It was either that or her ignorance, whatever it was she didn't know, and from where she stood now, she was too vulnerable to take the risk to find out.

She knew that there were other options. There were other ways to make her family proud. But that way was not as a warrior, not as long as she was too small and insignificant.

Frozenkit looked up with eyes that gleamed with dejection. "Well, then. I guess I will spare him the disappointment." She glared coldly at Snowshine. "I'll spare you all."

She winced. A kit wouldn't have said that. Not a normal one anyway. But she wasn't a normal kit. She was a loner all out on her own.

* * *

Frozenkit padded up to the medicine cat den, trying not to let tears spill over her face. She was more than shocked at her decision, she was devastated. But there was no other choice. She didn't want to just be a warrior. She wanted to be a warrior who was looked upon with pride and approval-and not just by any cat. By her family. But that wasn't going to happen.

Snowshine hadn't stopped her from going beyond her limit, and now as she stood at the small gap that led into the tunnel of the den, everything was much bigger than normal.

She poked her head in and was immediately struck with scents of bitter leaves, sweet berries, mild seeds and all kinds of flowers. Herbs were stacked and in piles everywhere. Hailblaze sat in the middle of the den, wrapping something in a large leaf. His ears flicked, indicating that he had heard Frozenkit come in.

"Uh...Hailblaze?"

The medicine cat grunted and looked up from his work. When he spotted her, he narrowed his eyes. "Ah, it's you. I have to say, it's been a long time since I've spoken to you or your brother. What is it you need?"

Frozenkit inhaled, and the air stung her throat. Her vision was blurry, fuzzed by the tears that she held back. "Well, I'll be six moons in a little bit, and...I think I'm going to be your apprentice."

**Noooooooooo! Why is she so immature! Why?**

***Ahem* Well, it seemed like the right decision, especially after everything she has gone through. I don't care if you didn't like it, that is where the story has to go or else I'll never get it where I need it! Aside from that, please, please, _please _review!**

**~Destiny**


	7. Chapter 6- More but less

**Yay! **

**I went back to the site to look at a few things after about an hour after updating the last chapter and saw that I already had three new reviews! *Rainbows and sparkles* Thank you! You guys are awesome! Here is the next chapter, and be sure to review.**

**Also, I am leaving on vacation next week, so I am not sure if I will be able to update, but if I can, I will definitely try! **

**Disclaimer: No. You should know what I am denying. XD **

"Will all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting," Flickerstar called as he climbed onto the stone that shadowed the camp under him.

Frozenkit stood at the base of the rock, feeling every hair on her pelt twitching with nervousness. Being a medicine cat was not at all what she wanted, but it was the right choice. Besides, taking the role would make sense to everyone, and that was all that really mattered. As long as she was seen as useful to her Clan, then she would be okay.

She didn't feel okay at the moment, but she was hoping that the regret would ebb away.

Flickerstar beckoned for Lionkit and Frozenkit to climb the Highrock as the Clan started to congregate. She pushed herself up on each small ledge to stand beside her leader. Lionkit of course, stood closer.

"Today, we gain two more apprentices to make ThunderClan stronger in the newleaf," the ginger tom began. "Frozenkit and Lionkit are six moons old, and now they shall become apprentices." He looked at Lionkit with fire in his amber eyes. "Lionkit, your mentor was a hard decision for me. You are a strong and brave young cat that deserves to be trained by only the best of cats. That's why I have chosen Mousewhisper. From now on, until you have earned your warrior name, you are Lionpaw." He touched noses with Lionpaw before the light brown tom jumped down from the Highrock to meet his mentor.

_Of course he gets the deputy. Lionpaw is perfect, _thought Frozenkit, envy scorching her fur. She had never really thought about Lionpaw getting the privilege, but as Flickerstar announced it, it made more sense than why cats eat. _He'll be going on all of the patrols, all of the Gatherings, while I'll be stuck in the-_

Her thoughts were cut off by Flickerstar clearing his throat. She snapped her attention back up to her leader. His amber gaze was plagued with a warning look. She felt her pelt heat up.

"And," Flickerstar continued, voice heavy with scorn. He brightened up and turned to the Clan. "Frozenkit here is willing to become the medicine cat apprentice to train as our healer. It is a different path than her brother, but a noble one all the same."

_Noble? Hm. Maybe cats will look up to me for this. _

"Frozenkit, do you accept this position?" asked Flickerstar.

She sighed. It wouldn't be too bad would it? She would still get to help her Clanmates and go to Gatherings, and she did get to do something that the warriors didn't! Sharing tongues with StarClan!

"Yes," she murmured.

"Than from this moment on, you shall be known as Frozenpaw. I wish you good luck, both of you." Flickerstar leaped off the Highrock with a wave of his tail to dismiss the Clan. Frozenpaw followed him and paused at the base of the stone when a sudden realization struck her.

_Six moons..._

She looked over at Snowshine and Oakshade who sat side by side, admiring Lionkit as he pranced excitedly around Mousewhisper. She knew that they probably had never given a thought about her, but she didn't mind.

She was free.

"Frozenpaw."

The deep voice startled her out of her thoughts. Whipping around, Frozenpaw saw the muscular white and gray shape of Hailblaze. He looked impatient, his tail tip twitching and his claws sheathing and unsheathing repeatedly.

"This isn't like warrior training. You can't just sit around waiting for every single cat to congratulate you on being six moons old. Whoopdie-doo! Join the club, now snap out of it and come to my den. We have a lot to work on."

Hailblaze turned and headed for his den. Frozenpaw swallowed a sharp retort and followed him. What he said was pretty bitter, but she had heard worse scoldings from Leafpelt. She broke into the herb-scented cave and joined him where he sat waiting for her.

"There are so many things to teach you, that I barely knew where to begin. But thankfully, Dusksky came in today complaining of a sore throat. I treated her, but if you were in my position, what would you want to do?"

It took Frozenpaw a moment to realize that she wasn't in battle training or hunting practice. She was sitting in a den, surrounded by a bu ch of herbs in plants that she couldn't begin to name, and that that would be the rest of her life. It felt harsh, summing it up like that, so she tried to focus on the work. Her words came out scronfully. "Make her feel better."

"_Really? _I would've _never _guessed," meowed Hailblaze, rolling his eyes. "Come on, Frozenpaw, I know you probably don't want to be shoved up in here all day, but you're going to have to be flexible with me here." He fixed his green gaze on her. "What would you want to do-no-what would be the right thing to do?"

_What does he think I'd give her? Poison? _Frozenpaw thought. "Soothe her throat. Ease the burn, I don't know, whatever you call it."

Hailblaze's eyes flashed with anger, but then they softened, and his whiskers twitched with amusement. "Heh, you're pretty snarky, kit. I know you used to be Madam Indepentdent, but there a lot of things out there that you don't know. You aren't even close to the most clever cat out there, so enough with the disdain, and do what I say."

Frozenpaw mumbled under her breath, and then sighed. "Well, you'd want to give Dusksky something mild and sweet, almost thick so it can take time to heal her burn."

"Good kit," chuckled Hailblaze. "That's why I like to use honey. But it isn't always available every season. Then I'd recommend something that helps with coughs, like tansy." He padded over to a neat pile of yellow flowers that gave off a strong, but pleasant scent.

"So we go honey and tansy," Frozenpaw murmured lightly. "Okay for coughs and sore throats..."

The medicine cat watched as she continued saying the remedies in her head. "I know it can be a lot to remember, but you'll get the hang of it once we start to see more injuries and sicknesses. Being a medicine cat isn't easy. There's a lot we have to sacrifice."

"Wait, what?" Frozenpaw asked. "Sacrifice? What do you mean?"

"You didn't know? Medicine cats must stand apart from Clan rivalries, no matter what the Clan could be doing. We also are forbidden to have a mate or kits. We have too many responcibilities now, we can't cope with those _distractions." _

Frozenpaw stared at her mentor in horror. If she can't be a part of Clan rivalries, than that means almost no fighting. She would have to sit and watch as the battles happen, sit and watch as her Clanmates are ripped apart by enemies.

She never really thought about a mate or kits, but she was afraid that one day, she'll regret never being able to suckle kits in the nursery, watch them grow into warriors or anything. The thoughts were nice, and if that were to have happened, she would have treated them they way she was never by Snowshine or Oakshade.

She knew she could never be a warrior, but there was much more to that than she imagined.

Hailblaze didn't seem to note her shock. He stretched, and listened to the noise of the Clan outside. "What a coinsedence that today is the half moon Gathering with the medicine cats, and you had your ceremony this morning. It's like StarClan is signing that you were destined to be the Clan's healer all along.

Frozenpaw stared at her paws. Or maybe they were just pointing out her misery.

**Well, that was that. Frozenpaw is medicine cat apprentice, and Lionpaw is in training to be a warrior, just like the summary says. **

**Before you start your complaining that Lionpaw having the deputy as his mentor is too far-fetched and blah, blah, blah, keep in mind that I was at first going to have him as Flickerstar's apprentice. You're lucky I downgraded to this, otherwise it'd be too much like a 'Seriously?' story, Mmkay? **

**Sorry for being so snippy. I just don't want to hear the complaints. **

**Just as another reminder, I might not be able to update for a while since I'm going on vacay, but I hope that by the time I get back I'll have a lot of reviews waiting for me! *hint hint***

**~Destiny**


	8. Chapter 7- Welcome to Mouthermouth!

**I am back from my vacay! Rainbows and gumdrops! Yayayayay! I was in Hawaii. I saw a lot of chickens, albatross and my leg was cut with a shard of glass :( I also saw a lot of cats... **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this next chapter. It might be a little boring in the beginning but I promise towards the end it should be better. Be sure to leave a review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors **

"Look at that sparrow!" a warrior, Graydawn exclaimed. Frozenpaw glanced up from her work to follow her gaze. Mousewhisper and Lionpaw had returned from their hunting training, and Lionpaw was carrying the largest bird she had ever seen.

Lionpaw dropped the sparrow at his mentor's paws. Mousewhisper praised him and he looked away in embarrassment. Many cats were starting to form a crowd around him, looking to see what he had accomplished.

Frozenpaw gaped, then clacked her teeth together. _How does that happen? That should be _my _prey! _

Oakshade and Snowshine, who had been sharing tongues, pushed to the front of the congregation to see what Lionpaw had done. Snowshine's eyes flashed with joy and Oakshade laughed hardily. The tabby placed his tail over Lionpaw's shoulder and whispered something that Frozenpaw couldn't hear.

She looked down at the petals she was plucking. Her claws unsheathed and she stepped over it, crushing what could have been good herbs.

Hailblaze padded over to see what she did. "Move your paw," he snarled.

Frozenpaw reluctantly lifted her claws off the flower without taking her eyes off of Lionpaw.

"You destroyed them!"

"Oops," muttered Frozenpaw.

To her surprise, Hailblaze said nothing more, and she expected him to just walk away and let her seethe in anger, but he didn't do that either. With a swipe of his paw, he cuffed her over the ear.

Frozenpaw recoiled in both shock and agony. Hailblaze stared intensely at her until she had to apologize for what she had done.

"Why are you doing this to the herbs? Did you become medicine cat just to annoy the dirt outta me?" he shouted. Thankfully, everyone was busy giving Lionpaw all the attention to see what was happening with her.

"No," she replied curtly.

"I thought we went over the whole deal with your attitude," growled Hailblaze. "I don't want you going around acting like you're perfect and the rest of the world is wrong."

"You don't understand," Frozenpaw said before she could stop herself. If Hailblaze asked her what was going through her mind, he would lecture her about things that she didn't think she needed to hear.

"Perhaps I don't," he spat. "But leave personal issues to yourself. Don't go taking it out on the herbs." He turned to head back to his own work. "Besides, what kind of things do you have to worry about. It is your first day."

Frozenpaw let out a breath and turned her head back to Lionpaw, by now, the Clan had finished praising her brother and were continuing with their routine. Oakshade threw him one last prideful glance and padded off. Smallpaw ran up to follow him.

She was just about to get a new flower when out of the corner of her eye, a ginger tom gazed at Lionpaw with wonder in his eyes.

_Flickerstar._

* * *

Hailblaze led Frozenpaw throught the trees. She had never been out of camp before, and she gazed in complete amazement at the size of ThunderClan's territory. Somewhere in the distance, a roaring beast rolled across the land.

As if reading her thoughts, Hailblaze said, "Those are monsters. Not the brightest creatures, but _very _deadly of one hits you." He paused his speaking and looked at Frozenpaw thoughtfully and mewed, "You may not be in warrior training but you still have to know the territory, the scents, and how to defend yourself. Ha, at least there's something for you to look forward to."

Frozenpaw nodded. She would get to fight a little. She still had a chance to make her Clan proud.

The kept going. Frozenpaw noted how green and lush the territory was. ThunderClan must've had the best land in the whole forest. _Those ShadowClan cats must be jealous of us, _she thought.

The fading day sky was blocked from the treetops above her, but when they reached a small clearing, she could see how the stars above were beginning to shine across the forest.

"Your ancestors aren't just for the medicine cats," Hailblaze murmured. "They watch over all the warriors, kits to elders, weak to strong, Clan to Clan. We, my apprentice, have the privilege of sharing tongues with them every half moon."

Frozenpaw knew he was trying to make the medicine cat job seem exciting, but she shut out his words. Being a warrior would always be better.

The continued on through the territories until the land grew bare. Tall grass waved at the cool newleaf breezes and a strong scent of rabbit hung heavily in the air. She smacked her tongue over her whiskers in thought of catching one under her claws.

"We are coming onto WindClan territory," Hailblaze informed her. "Try to stay at the edge of the border. We don't want our scent to far into the territory, or else WindClan will get the wrong idea."

"We want to _avoid _battle?" Frozenpaw asked. "But isn't fighting what makes us warriors?"

Hailblaze almost halted his walking. He snapped his gaze to look at her, a scowl coloring his expression. "Don't you remember what I told you when you were a kit. It isn't about-"

"Right, I know, I know," interrupted Frozenpaw. "But don't we enjoy battle?"

The gray and white tom just looked at her with an empty, unblinking gaze, like she had said something offbeat. Frozenpaw refused to let her mentor stare her down to regret. She cast him the same gaze, waiting for him to reply to her question.

After a while, he finally spoke. "Frozenpaw, stand over there." He indicated to a root of a lone oak tree about ten tail lengths off.

She obeyed, unsure of what he was trying to prove. She planted her front paws over the root, feeling the soft bark under her pads.

Without warning, Hailblaze rushed foward, paws outstretched. Frozenpaw yowled in terror as his claws struck her muzzle, drawing blood. With a snarl of fury, she retaliated with a blow to the flank, and felt his weight shift. Slipping under his belly, she jumped up and onto his back in attempt to pin him. Hailblaze was too large, but he did flinch and stumble, giving her a chance to veer to the side and kick at him with her hind legs.

Hailblaze had to dig his claws into the dirt to prevent himself from falling. He looked up and at Frozenpaw who was crouched and ready for a parrying blow.

Her mentor swallowed and raised his head, standing straight again. His claws sheathed and he looked her over, holding the same look he had before attacking her, except this one was sprinkled with suspicion.

"Why did you do that?" Frozenpaw demanded, not moving from her crouch.

"Hm," he mused. "Well, aren't you the feisty one. I have to say, you impress me at your skills. Did your parents ever teach you anything as a kit?"

"No," growled Frozenpaw. "They never even thought about it."

"So you taught yourself." It wasn't a question. Hailblaze nodded with a mix of respect and another mood Frozenpaw couldn't place.

"I did."

"And at six moons old. It's too bad you're a medicine cat then. You could've made the Clan proud."

_Not as long as Lionpaw's the only one anyone cares about. _

"Well, let's not stand here all night. It's about time we get to Mothermouth," Hailblaze murmured, pushing past Frozenpaw. When she didn't follow, he called for her.

"I'm coming," she said, sheathing her claws.

As the vast stretch of rocky land opened up into the night, Frozenpaw spotted four cats facing her and Hailblaze expectantly. When they got close enough, a golden she-cat spoke with a mocking, yet playful tone.

"It isn't like you, Hailblaze to be late," she meowed.

"You're usually the first one here," a white tom remarked.

"I apologize Goldenwillow, Spiralwhisker," replied Hailblaze stopping before them. He glanced Frozenpaw's way, sharing an unspoken statement. "Something came up."

"So did something in WindClan, but you don't see us appearing fashionably late," muttered a pale gray she-cat who was standing next to Goldenwillow.

"Now Squirrelfur, enough with the teasing," said a black and white she-cat quietly. She turned to Hailblaze. "We see you brought someone with you."

"Yes," the gray and white tom mewed. "This is my new apprentice, Frozenpaw."

At the mention of Frozenpaw's name, Goldenwillow's face twisted into a scowl, but she didn't say anything.

_What's wrong with my name? _

"You're quite small for an apprentice," observed Spiralwhisker.

Frozenpaw bristled at his words and unsheathed her claws, but before she could move, Hailblaze shot her a warning glance. "Forgive my apprentice, she's pretty new to all of this."

"What cat isn't?" Squirrelfur murmured.

"Anyway, Frozenpaw, you should meet everybody. Spiralwhisker is ShadowClan's medicine cat-" in a lower voice, Hailblaze said, "-and a pretty old one at that." He flicked his tail to the black and white she-cat. "Whispershadow is medicine cat of RiverClan. And Goldenwillow and Squirrelfur belong to WindClan."

Frozenpaw tilted her head in confusion. "Why does Squirrelfur have her full name? Isn't she an apprentice?"

The pale gray she-cat growled, but Goldenwillow chuckled softly. "She completed her training. Now she's just hanging around and waiting for me to die."

"Oh...so when you go to StarClan, she'll take up the job?"

"Yes."

Spiralwhisker moaned and all eyes turned to him. "Let's get going. The night is growing short. Frozenpaw, don't you want to be accepted by StarClan already?"

Irritated by the tom's impatience, she nodded. "I am."

Whispershadow seemed to note how her voice was unwavering. "Pretty brave, kit. You never know what StarClan has to show you. Aren't you nervous?"

Frozenpaw answered with a firm dip of her head.

"Well then, what are waiting for here? Let's see our ancestors!" Goldenwillow exclaimed.

**Okay, so maybe the end wasn't to exciting. I get the feeling that this chapter was a little rushed, so forgive me for the mistake. The next chapter will be posted soon. **

**Also, if you're my fiftieth reveiwer (and you have an account) I'll PM you, and you'll get a 'prize' if you want to know what it is, check out my profile under What's going on. So get those reviews in!**

**~Destiny**


	9. Chapter 8- The Unidentified

**Before the author's note, I need to say something to a Guest. Random Person, if you are reading this, it answers your question at the author's note at the end of What Have I Done? Thanks for the review.**

**And of course, all of the reviews that everyone else has given me. If you have any questions, please don't ask them in a review. I feel bad for not replying to them via author's note, but I am also too lazy. But if you PM me, I am sure to reply! Just so you know.**

**The fiftieth reviewer was...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors **

The cavern was beyond any beauty Frozenpaw could have ever imagined.

A silver shaft of moon and starlight touched down before a glimmering stone, three tail lengths high. It appeared as if raindrops were streaming down its surface but they were frozen in place, forbidden from touching the cold floor under her paws.

The other medicine cats were unfazed by the splendor of the cave, for they have seen it many times before, but Frozenpaw knew that what stood before her was something she would relive for as long as she same to Highstones.

"Frozenpaw," Hailblaze whispered, advancing slowly towards the shimmering rock, "welcome to the Moonstone."

The Moonstone, named for the seasons of cool moonlight that has fallen from the sky to rest upon its smooth surface. Frozenpaw felt that knowing that, she was closer to the stars than she thought she could ever be as someone who wished for a difference.

The other medicine cats padded forward, and curled up before the stone. Hailblaze joined them at the edge of the stone. He ran his tail along the empty space beside him, beckoning Frozenpaw to join him.

She rushed ahead and laid down.

She noticed how the other medicine cats had there attention turned to Hailblaze. The gray and white tom nodded and cleared his throat.

"Cats of StarClan," his deep voice boomed across the cavern, echoing in Frozenpaw's ears, "tonight I bring you a new apprentice who has decided to join the rest of us at your wisdom. Please accept her among your ranks and light her path for as long as she shall be remembered." He stopped then, and lowered his head to the base of the stone, where he then touched his nose to the surface.

Frozenpaw looked around and saw that the other medicine cats have done that as well. She followed there actions and touched the tip of her nose to the rock.

She felt an icy sensation flow through each hair on her pelt until the were standing on end. She felt her eyes were immediately heavy with sleep, and Beofre she could think of anything else, she had drifted off into a world of blackness.

_When light broke through again, Frozenpaw saw that she was no longer at Highstones, but standing in front of clearing, shaded by four ancient oak trees and a rock greater than any other she had ever seen. _

Is this StarClan?

_Her heart skipped a beat when she realized her thoughts were true. It was unusually warm for a early newleaf night, and the sky above was sprinkled with an unbelievable amount of stars, and the stars were huge, almost dancing across the darkness in a pool of silver. _

_Soft paw steps sounded from behind her, and she whirled around to face a cat she had never seen before. This cat was white like her, with the same green eyes, but was much bigger and the fluffy kit-fur Frozenpaw still had wasn't seen along the cat's body. She looked at Frozenpaw with a completely blank expression, no emotion what-so-ever to help Frozenpaw read her._

_"Are you a StarClan warrior?" asked Frozenpaw, which to her seemed like a stupid question. Of course she was. After all she was in StarClan. _

_The cat made no response to Frozenpaw's question, not even an ear-flick. It was almost as if she hadn't said anything at all. It was almost like she wasn't there in first place. _

_Impatience started to gnaw at Frozenpaw's belly and her claws unsheathed into the plush grass. It was only then the white cat moved, but it was barely a flinch. Her expression didn't change._

_"Who are you?" Frozenpaw asked, voice dripping scorn. She waited in utter silence for the cat before her to say something, but all she heard was the breathing of her own lungs. "Say something or I'll make you."_

_At her threat, the white cat smiled ever so slightly, but it wasn't a pleasant smile, it was a cruel, smug smile that sent chills down Frozenpaw's spine. Now she was afraid. She never thought that a look so tenuous could frighten her so much. Her claws sheathed._

_At this, the cat's grin broadened, sending more fear through Frozenpaw's mind. Her heart began to beat rapidly, and she didn't know if she should try to find out what was happening or scream to wake up. She didn't even feel as though she was sleeping. Everything before her was so real, beyond any nightmare she had ever had._

_She opened her mouth to call for someone, but before she could, the white cat waved her tail, stopping her abruptly. Frozenpaw winced as the white cat raised a paw and stepped toward her. Her eyes were still empty, but her smile was still savage. _

_"Get away from me," whimpered Frozenpaw, but her legs would not move, she was frozen in place. How could she be so scared in a place so pure? Her heart beat even faster, and her breathing grew ragged. _

_The white cat finally made a noise. It was a laugh, a soft, barely audible laugh that held as much cruelty as her simple smile. She stopped and exhaled lightly, taking another paw step towards Frozenpaw. _

_"What do you want from me?" Frozenpaw was shouting now. Fear gripped her voice, the fear of kit that was caught in a fox trap. Blood pounded in her ears, but her screams were still louder, slicing through the starlit land like the was claws through water. _

_The white cat revealed her teeth, clean teeth. The absence of blood should have calmed Frozenpaw, but she couldn't push down the rising dread that boiled in her veins. _

_It was like everything had disappeared that moment, the memories of Lionpaw and Snowshine in the nursery, Oakshade ignoring her, Hailblaze scolding her, the medicine cats teasing her. Right then, there were only three things, Frozenpaw, the white cat and her terror. _

_"Leave me alone! Send me home!" she shrieked. Her voice was shouted through the world, and ended, faded from the world around her. No one had heard her, not one cat of StarClan, or a cat of the waking world. Emptiness flooded the land._

_The white cat jerked her head forward, and at it, Frozenpaw yelped. She was trying desperately to throw herself away and run until there was no more land to run on. But she couldn't, she was trapped in her fear. _

_Suddenly, the white cat leaped, claws outstretched towards Frozenpaw's throat. It happened so quickly, but it was all in slow motion as she watched the grin on the white cat grow bigger, more teeth being shown in her mouth, large strong teeth. Frozenpaw waited for her claws to pierce her neck. She couldn't move. She couldn't do anything except watch. _

_The white cat's claws touched her throat, and Frozenpaw expected pain to begin flowing through her body, but that never came. Rather, as the white cat's claws drew deeper into her neck, strength washed over her and the fear she felt was slowly being lifted from her shoulders. No blood was spilled, no agony erupted, it was now only her, and power, power to break free._

_In a surge of light, the white cat flashed out of sight and with her, the world. _

Frozenpaw awoke with a jolt. The cavern was still lit with the silver light of the stars overhead. She raised her head from the Moonstone, shaking her scruff fur.

_I was so afraid, _she thought, _and then I was strong. Is that how I am accepted by StarClan? _

The medicine cats around her began to stir. Squirrelfur was the first to awaken, followed by Spiralwhisker, Goldenwillow and Whispershadow. Hailblaze scuffed the stone floor with his paw before opening his eyes to the world.

Goldenwillow got up and stretched. "That was nice. StarClan sent me pleasant dreams."

"Me too," Squirrefur and Spiralwhisker said at the same time.

In her soft voice, Whispershadow said. "StarClan sent me something I am not sure about. I will have to think about it." She stood, flexing her claws. "It is almost dawn. We should be heading back."

The other medicine cats nodded in agreement. Goldenwillow led Squirrelfur out of the cavern, leaving behind the dreams they had shared with their ancestors. With a goodbye to Hailblaze, Spiralwhisker followed. Whispershadow did the same, wishing Frozenpaw a good luck with her training. After that, it was just Hailblaze and Frozenpaw in the cavern.

Her mentor started padding off into the shadows of the tunnel. Frozenpaw sluggishly followed him. Despite the efficacy she had earned in her dreams, it was only normal that she was to worry. She was torn between asking Hailblaze about it or keeping it to herself. Both of the choices had their possible consequences. Telling Hailblaze may give him the wrong idea; he might begin to think it was an omen of danger. On the other paw, if she remained quiet, her anxiety might get out of hand. She thought about it as they walked back to ThunderClan territory. A faint pink light streaked the dark blue horizon, announcing dawn to the forest. She let the colors take her into another world, where it was quiet and peaceful. Hailblaze might have been speaking to her, but that didn't matter. She felt safe at that moment, and she turned slowly to her mentor.

"Hailblaze," she began. "I have a question for you."

He pricked his ears, noticing the softness in her mew. "Yes Frozenpaw?"

"Well...what happened when you were accepted as medicine cat apprentice by StarClan?"

He blinked at the question, deep in thought. "My mentor, Shadewhisker, promised that the most enchanting nights of my life would be the ones experienced as a new cat- an apprentice following a new path and a medicine cat serving his Clan. He was right. It has been about three seasons since I had last come across those enchanting encounters, but I remember the wonder of it all. They all stood there, welcoming me, cheering my name, and sent me images of things unreal." Hailblaze had a faraway look in his eyes as he recalled the story. "I have never seen as much beauty than I have seen those two nights."

_Beauty? _asked Frozenpaw in her head. _All I knew was confusion. _"So, also the time you were an apprentice?"

"Yes," he answered. "I told Shadewhisker, and he saw the same things. Let me just say, if you are accepted, you see nothing but pulchritude, all medicine cats do, letting us know that we are all bound together, for the goodness of our fate."

_But what about my dream? Does this mean I wasn't accepted by StarClan? I was in a pretty place, I saw pretty lights, but only one cat was there, one, cold, cruel cat. _

"Is that what you saw, Frozenpaw. Did you see the perfection?"

Frozenpaw no longer felt safe as she walked through the forest. Light may have been beginning to shed across the Clans, but her mind was dark fog. It wasn't a good idea to tell Hailblaze what she saw. "Yeah," she lied, "I did. StarClan was amazing."

"Were you at Fourtrees?"

"Is that the clearing with those four gigantic oaks?"

"Yes."

"Then yes."

"You'll be there for the Gatherings, and most of your dreams with StarClan," he told her. "Like the Moonstone, it is a sacred place."

Frozenpaw listened as he continued, at least she partly did. The rest of her was all caught up in the possibility that she was a bad idea.

**Ta-da! Next chapter done! Again, if you have any questions, PM me. Thanks for reading and leave a review before you go if you would.**

**~Destiny**


	10. Chapter 9- Frozenpaw's first Gathering

**Hey guys! I love you all so much! We have a lot of reviews so far, and I'm so happy that this story is so popular! Keep up the amazing support and enjoy this next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors **

"So how do you feel, Frozenpaw?" Hailblaze asked while he carried a few leaves towards the herb store.

"Fine..." Frozenpaw mewed. "Why...?"

He dropped the leaves with it's matches and looked at her lightly. "It's been a whole half moon since you became my apprentice. Congratulations for not poisoning anyone yet!"

Frozenpaw rolled her eyes and stared at her pile of marigold. "Ha, ha. Very funny."

He chuckled to himself and padded up to her. "What are you up to now? Didn't I ask you to memorize those remedies over there?" He pointed with his tail to a line of different berries and leaves.

"I did," Frozenpaw murmured lamely. Tansy, thyme, watermint, dock, juniper berries, goldenrod and lavender in that order."

A look of respect flickered across Hailblaze's face as she finished reciting the herbs. He nodded and checked to see what she was doing at that moment- shredding the leaves off a coltsfoot plant- and satisfied, he padded over to the herb store.

It may seem that Frozenpaw was doing well, and maybe that was correct, but as she pulled off the flower from stem of the plant, nothing quite felt complete. Ever since the bittersweet dream she had at the Moonpool, not just her rank was out of order. Nothing felt right, right down to her steady breathing in her sleep. She hardly ever saw the outside world, considering she was sitting in the medicine den all day, fiddling with a bunch of leaves. Maybe she should have been glad that Snowshine and Oakshade were hardly on her mind, but when the Clan left for the Gathering that night, she realized what she was missing. Frozenpaw wondered how many cats would be announced warriors by the Clan leaders, while she had yet to even think about receiving her full name. Even Rabbitpaw became a warrior after being ill for so long. He was now Rabbitfoot.

She looked over at Hailblaze. "Why couldn't have we gone to the Gathering withh the rest of the Clan?" She dropped the coltsfoot. "It's boring here."

"Too much to do here," said her mentor.

"Is there really? The Clan's perfectly healthy now! I wonder how many leaves will shrivel up because know one will ever need them," Frozenpaw retorted.

Hailblaze gazed at her defensively. "Hey, you never know. Besides, I thought I heard Talonfoot coughing a little this morning. You never know what that could turn into."

Frozenpaw grunted. "I would've been announced tonight as a new apprentice! Don't you think I would have wanted to see that?"

That seemed to provoke thought in Hailblaze's mind. With a sigh, he waved his tail. "Alright. You can go. The Clan just left. If you run fast enough, you can get there before the Gathering begins."

"Really you mean it?" Frozenpaw asked, jumping up.

"Yeah, yeah. Go on." Hailblaze nodded at the den entrance.

"Thank you, Hailblaze!" Frozenpaw turned and dashed outside.

"Don't be surprised when I give you extra work tomorrow!" her mentor called back.

Frozenpaw ignored the warning and started climbing the ravine. She knew it would slow her down, but she hoped she could get there quick enough to hear her name called out by Flickerstar. Her limbs ached with exhausted by the time she was running through the territory, but the thought that she would finally be noticed fueled her energy.

She passed tree by tree, the scent of her Clanmates growing stronger on her tongue. She thought she saw a flash of tabby fur through the thick expanse of leaves and felt pride swell in her chest. _Look at me! I'm the best at tracking! I'd be able to catch so much prey for the Clan!_

_But I can't. Only Lionpaw can. _

She shook away her thoughts and continued. It wasn't long until a wave of a tail slipped through a bramble bush. "Wait!" Frozenpaw called out.

After a moment, a head poked through the narrow branches of the bush. "Frozenpaw? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back at camp with Hailblaze?"

"He said I could catch up with you to see my name announced at the Gathering," she mewed, panting. "So, here I am!"

The warrior, Icyclaws, also Nettlepaw's mentor dipped her head. "Let's get going then." She led Frozenpaw ahead to where the rest of the Clan was walking. "So, how do you like being a medicine cat?"

"A lot." _I should be a warrior! _

"That's good. I've watched Lionpaw during training, and I have to say, he's doing amazing! Only between us, a lot better than Nettlepaw. That tom just isn't motivated. Anyway, it'd be hard for anyone to conquer is moves in battle. In time, he'll be defeating the RiverClan leader at Sunningrocks!"

"I would be too!" Frozenpaw exclaimed before she could stop herself. Icyclaws gave her a funny look. "I mean, uh. I would be if I were a warrior. After all, I am Lionpaw's brother."

"It must run in the family," Icyclaws replied. "Oakshade was phenomenal when he trained beside me and my sister. But Lionpaw, _whoof, _he is definitely someone to look out for."

Frozenpaw gritted her teeth and looked ahead, trying to ignore the admiring sound of Icyclaws voice. Everyone had that irritating ring to their words when they spoke of Lionpaw.

"We're here," Icyclaws murmured before stepping forward. Frozenpaw followed her Clan into the clearing, and gaped. She knew that Hailblaze had told her Fourtrees is where the Clan had Gatherings but she still wasn't prepared to see how strikingly identical it looked in her dream. Even when she had not seen it yet. The four massive oaks that marked the corners of the scared ground, the sky a pool of stars above the lovely scenery, and a stone that sparkled in the light. The only thing different with this place and the place in her dream was that it was full of unfamilar, huge warriors.

"Look up there, at the Great Rock," someone said. Frozenpaw turned to see Stonepaw talking to Lionpaw about the giant stone. "Those cats are the three other leaders."

Frozenpaw gazed at the cats he was talking about. A gray tom, a tabby cat and a golden she-cat all stood upon the sparkling stone. Flickerstar joined them and turned to the crowd gathered throughout the clearing. The gray tom whispered something Frozenpaw couldn't hear and Flickerstar rolled his eyes while the other two leaders snickered.

The tabby cat yowled and the crowd silenced. He cleared his throat. "WindClan has much to rejoice about this moon. Prey is very abundant on the moor and we have three new kits, and a new warrior, Bluewish."

"Bluewish! Bluewish!" The Clans cheered, and Frozenpaw noticed as a blue-gray she-cat with green eyes stood and nodded her head at everybody. _One day, I'll hear those chants. All for me. _

"We have also won a battle recently with a few foxes. The beginning of newleaf is an omen for a virtuous season for WindClan."

The Clans cheered, and Frozenpaw noticed Lionpaw pad up to her. "Hey, you made it. Great! Hey, WindClan's leader up there is called Runningstar, and the tom next to him is ShadowClan's leader, Breezestar, and-"

"I know," Frozenpaw snapped. "You think I don't know anything?"

"I just-"

"Hey, keep it down back there," snarled a gray and black tom.

Frozenpaw glowered at Lionpaw for a moment and looked back up at the Great Rock. _He acts like he knows everything! _

The gray tabby, Breezestar began sharing ShadowClan's news. "There is not much to report for ShadowClan other than badger scent caught near the Thunderpath. I just want to warn you in case you spot any predator in your territory."

The golden she-cat dipped her head. "Thank you for that, Breezestar." She turned her head towards the rest of the clearing and announced louder. "A new kit has been born to RiverClan a few days ago. Our Clan is growing. Someday our territory won't be big enough for all of us," she laughed jokingly.

Frozenpaw saw Stonepaw beside Lionpaw bristle. She flattened one of her ears in confusion. "What could that possibly mean? She's just expressing the excitement for her Clan."

Stonepaw looked at her sideways, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Are you really that stupid, Frostpaw?" he snarled.

"That's not my-"

"Ignore her," muttered Lionpaw, suddenly emitting anger towards his sister. "We couldn't expect a medicine cat apprentice to understand anything."

Frozenpaw opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off as the same gray and black tom growled loudly, glaring at the tree of them with an angry gaze.

Flickerstar seemed to also carry suspicion and inquisition and began announcing what the last moon had brought the Clan. "Um...thanks for that report, Yellowstar. ThunderClan has three new warriors-Stormshade, Whitefur and Rabbitfoot."

The Gathering chanted the names.

"Prey is running well in the territory, and a half moon ago, Snowshine's kits were made apprentices. Lionpaw is doing legendarily in his training to be a warrior, and his sister had taken on the path of a medicine cat."

The cats beneath Flickerstar yowled in congratulations. Lionpaw puffed out his chest and Snowshine turned to look proudly at her son. Frozenpaw just stared shockingly up at the Great Rock where Flickerstar stood.

"_Lionpaw is doing legendarily in his training to be a warrior," _he had said, _"and his sister..." _The rest of his words slipped past her, like he had never said them. Frozenpaw just fought the urge to scream out her name to the clearing.

_His sister. _Frozenpaw was just _his sister. _She was nothing more than the littermate of the "legendary" Lionpaw. _His sister. _Not Frozenpaw, no. She was just Lionpaw's sister, as long as he was there to be spectacular, she was just his sister. The white cat in the back round.

The leaders hopped off of the Great Rock. As cats began breaking away from their conversations, Clans started going separate ways to head back to their camp. It had been the night of a particularly peaceful Gathering, despite the subtle threat everyone believed Yellowstar made. That's what it was to them.

To Frozenpaw, it was the night she really got idea.

**:*( Poor Frozenpaw. All she wanted was to be recognized for who she was, not who she was compared to her brother. I think it is about time to see how "amazing" Lionpaw is. Please review, and look out for the next chapter!**

**~Destiny**


	11. Chapter 10- Suddenly not alone

**Oh my gosh, So many reviews! Thank you all so much for reading this story! I know someone asked if this chapter is from Lionpaw's POV, but the answer is no. Though, that is an interesting idea, that I might use, thank you for that, shadeflower927. And thank the rest of you for all of your support!**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Warriors, but imagine how cool that would be!**

Frozenpaw padded through the undergrowth, her eyes and nose alert. It had been a sunrise since the Gathering, and Hailblaze had asked her to collect a few stalks of marigold, although she doubted she would find them so early in the season. She knew the territory like her own front paws, and could make her way through it pretty well.

She veered her way around a large tree and continued on. She wish what had happened did not trouble so much. She knew that her life wouldn't be as exceptional as Lionpaw's- becuase nothing was better than him- and that she should just try to ignore it. She had no one to talk about it too anyway. She was already hiding something from her mentor, so telling him could influence her to spill, and the rest of the Clan overlooked her like she was a leaf drifting down from a tree. With those things in her life, why should she drive herself crazy over such a typical event, and a minor one as well.

It did bother her though, when it was night and there was nothing she could see but blackness. And if that didn't sting enough, cats did not even see her as the medicine cat apprentice. Even if Hailblaze wasn't around, they'd walk in, see her, look around a little longer and walk away. Like she wasn't even there in the first place, or like she knew nothing at all about what hailblaze had taught her.

Because of that, even though it had only been a day, she had spent most of her time out of camp, just in the territory, letting her thoughts slip away and only the soft newleaf breezes in her mind as they touched her fur.

Now, Frozenpaw continued her search, looking for nothing but marigold, thinking about nothing but marigold...

That was, until she heard the noises.

Frozenpaw stopped, sniffing, it wasn't long before Lionpaw's scent hit her, along with a mix of others that must've been the other apprentices. She tunred and rushed towards their voices of struggle, wondering if maybe some sort of predator had cornered them.

She broke into an unfamiliar clearing, perhaps the one place in the whole territory she had not yet seen. Frozenpaw saw Lionpaw right away, pinning down Smallpaw while Stonepaw sat off to the side beside Beetletooth. Oakshade, Mousewhisper and Icyclaws were there too, and it took several moments before she spotted Nettlepaw hiding in the shadow of a nearby tree.

The apprentices quit their practicing to look over at her. Smallpaw glared and rolled away from Lionpaw before standing and shaking sand out of her pelt. "What are you doing here, runt?" she demanded.

"I heard you guys and I thought-"

Stonepaw clearly knew what she was going to say. "Did you even _scent _a fox, Frostpaw?" he asked. "No wonder you aren't a warrior, you can't even track."

"My name is _Frozenpaw_," snarled Frozenpaw. "And excuse me for worrying."

Oakshade stepped forward. "You can go now," he told her. In the back Nettlepaw pricked his ears.

"Actually-" the words slithered out of her mouth bitterly, "-I'd like like to stay and watch. I'm not doing anything anyway, and even though I'm not in warrior training, it's still good for every cat to learn a few tactics." She lied about not being busy, but Hailblaze had not even crossed her thoughts when she said it.

Before Oakshade could argue, Icyclaws pushed in front of him. "That would be nice. And what she said was true."

Mousewhisper shrugged like she didn't mind and Beetletooth just flicked an ear. Frozenpaw smugly grinned at her father and the apprentices before hopping into the sand; a puff of sand flew up from under her paws.

Stonepaw passed her to get to Lionpaw, and as he did, his shoulder knocked her chest, and his size almost pushed her over. "Just stay out of the way."

Frozenpaw growled and watched as the three apprentices took position. Lionpaw was the first to move, striking both Smallpaw and Stonepaw with the same paw. Stonepaw ducked to late at the attack and crumpled to the ground, just as Lionpaw leapt. Smallpaw screeched and hopped out of the way as Lionpaw landed atop Stonepaw's shoulders, pinning him firmly to the sand. As Stonepaw struggled, Smallpaw took advantage of the moment and lashed a paw out towards Lionpaw, but as she moved, so did the tabby, and, still holding a foot over Stonepaw's chest, struck her in the muzzle, sending her reeling before she finally collapsed tom the ground.

Oakshade lit up with pride. Frozenpaw stared wide-eyed as Stonepaw and Smallpaw struggled to regain their footing while Lionpaw was praised. Icyclaws looked over at Nettlepaw. "Why don't you get in there?"

For a minute, the gray tom didn't seem to have heard her, then he pushed himself off the ground and joined the others in the practice area. Frozenpaw was noticing how unkempt his fur was, and the dullness of his formally bright gaze. Empathy swelled inside of her_, _despite the feelings she had for him in the past. _Do you feel lost too? _

Nettlepaw barely had time to breathe before Stonepaw lunged for him. The gray tom's teeth connected with his scruff as Nettlepaw was dragged to the ground. Smallpaw bunched her muscles and leapt into the fight, not even hesitating to claw her brother over the head. Lionpaw broke away from the words of praise he was receiving from his mentor and father and joined both of them, and Frozenpaw noticed that his claws were unsheathed.

_They'll kill him if I don't do something! _

Without another thought, Frozenpaw rushed forward, sinking her claws into Smallpaw's hind leg. The tawny she-cat yowled in surprise as Frozenpaw yanked her backwards and dodged a parrying blow to get to Stonepaw. He was harder to strike but she slipped under him and sent several blows to his belly, forcing him away from Nettlepaw and into a heap in the sand, Frozenpaw looked to see her brother was still pinning Nettlepaw, with his lips pulled back and his teeth showing.

_I have to face him. _

She shrieked and threw herself at her brother, who with a yowl of astonishment, toppled to the floor. Her tail flicked against Nettlepaw's side, telling him to get up, but her heart was focused on holding Lionpaw down until he submitted. The light brown tabby, launched a blow to her muzzle, which was powerless because of his position. Frozenpaw snapped her teeth over his paw and without thinking, raked her claws over his neck as she scrambled away. Mousewhisper made a shocked noise as Lionpaw screeched in pain, but thankfully the wounds were very shallow, and drew little blood.

Frozenpaw looked over her shoulder to see the mess she had made. Smallpaw was trying to get up, a scratch between her eyes that dripped blood over he face. Stonepaw was hunched over, groaning at the pain in his belly and Lionpaw sat half up, coughing because of the claw marks in his neck. Mousewhisper and Beetletooth looked over the apprentices, while Icyclaws and Oakshade stood motionless in utter shock to see what the tiny white cat before them had just done to trained apprentices.

Oakshade peeled his lips back. "You fool! You cannot harm your own Clanmates!"

Frozenpaw wasn't even surprised. She opened her mouth to retort, but Nettlepaw beat her to it. "What did you expect her to do? Instead of yelling at someone you haven't paid attention to unless she was doing wrong, why don't you yell at the cats who were about to kill me!"

Oakshade snapped the air right in front of Nettlepaw's nose, making him flinch. "Maybe if you had actually practiced you moves, you could have accomplished something."

"Practiced? _Practiced?" _Frozenpaw screeched. "That's right, pit three cats against one and expect that one cat to win!"

"You didn't seem to have any problem with it!" snapped Oakshade, flexing his claws.

Before Frozenpaw was aware, she and her father were nose to nose, claws extended, eyes flattened. Nettlepaw stood on the side, shouting in Frozenpaw's favor. Suddenly, a cat flung themself between them. Icyclaws whacked Oakshade away. "Enough!" she yowled! "Both of you should be ashamed if yourselves. And yes, _both _of you!"

Beetletooth padded forward. "Stonepaw, Smallpaw, Lionpaw, back to camp. The rest of us have to talk to Nettlepaw and...Frostpaw?"

Frozenpaw seethed.

The three apprentices nodded their heads and left the clearing. Icyclaws followed them to make sure the made it back to camp safely. Oakshade sat abruptly and wrapped his tabby striped tail over his paws, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. Like he was a kit being punished. Frozenpaw smiled smugly at him, but it vanished when Beetletooth swiped his paw over her vision.

"All three of you are like immature ducklings," he growled.

Mousewhsiper nodded. "We all made the mistake of having one face three, so we apologize, Nettlepaw." She then turned to Frozenpaw, eyes full of ire. "But that gives _you _no excuse to have harmed your Clanmates like enemies. Hailblaze will be hearing about this once we gat back, but for now, you two go home. We need to discuss a few things on our own."

Nettlepaw nodded and dragged his tail across the ground like he always did as he walked off, Frozenpaw hesitantly followed, shooting a venomous look at Oakshade.

They both padded in the forest, Nettlepaw back to the way he usually was, like he had never said anything Oakshade or gotten hurt. Frozenpaw sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry for what happened-"

Nettlepaw stopped walking and faced her. "I need your help."

Frozenpaw paused, gazing blankly into his eyes. "Uh...with what?"

"You know how I feel about being here," Nettlepaw said. "You know how I said that Clan-life isn't for me. You saw what happened back there, how they all intentionally hurt me. Just because my destiny is not as a warrior doesn't mean I don't have one."

"What are you suggesting?" questioned Frozenpaw.

"My old self is who I miss being, and I want to be that cat again, but not when I am in the wrong place." He lashed his tail. "Frozenpaw, I need your help to escape."

Frozenpaw narrowed her eyes. "You need my help? Why can't you escape on your own? Now that I think about it, why do you even need to escape? You can just tell the cats you're leaving. They'll let you go if you really need to."

"If I just leave, they'll see me as weak, they'll judge me as a coward, as if they don't do it enough," Nettlepaw s growled quietly growled. "Do you even know what it's like, being either ignored or hated by the cats you need support from most?"

Frozenpaw blinked sadly, feeling tears brim at her eyes. She held them back and stared deeply into Nettlepaw's amber eyes, seeing finally how much deep longing they had, longing for a bright future.

Just like her.

"Nettlepaw," she said, "of course I'll help you, and I would come too, if I didn't have so much to do..." _and a future so unclear..._

"Thank you, Frozenpaw," he meowed giving her a warm smile, and with that he disappeared, heading back to the Clan he would soon leave behind.

Frozenpaw returned soon after, refusing to look at anything besides her paws. She slipped into the medicine den and saw Hailblaze out of the corner of her vision.

"Where's the marigold?" he asked.

"I couldn't find any," Frozenpaw muttered.

**So you got a little snip-it of training (before Frozenpaw screwed up). Anyway, we have something with Nettlepaw coming up soon, so, yeah. Review and stuff XD**

**~Destiny**


	12. Chapter 11- Escape

**Yay! I'd like to give a shout-out to all that have reviewed! shadeflower927, Petaldawn, ObSeSiVe BoOkWoRm, Pearlfeather, DahliaStarr, Rainwind allias Dazzlesparkle, thank you so much for you continued support, and also a thanks to all who have read this story. Here is the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors **

"Frozenpaw..." a voice whispered through her dreams. The sound of the cat was familiar, but she was so far into sleep, it couldn't have startled her awake so quickly. She continued falling into her slumber for longer before a paw, ran along her side. Claws caught in her fur and tore some of it out. With a hiss, Frozenpaw awoken.

"_Shh," _snarled Nettlepaw, laying his tail over her mouth. Frozenpaw jerked away, glaring at him.

"Maybe I would have been quieter if you had not ripped out my pelt," she snapped.

Nettlepaw returned her look of warning and padded out of the medicine den. Frozenpaw followed, looking over at the other side of the den where Hailblaze slept, the steady rise and fall of his flank being the only movement in the darkness.

She emerged into the camp. In the night, only silhouettes of things were present in the camp. Soft snoring sounded from the dens. Nettlepaw stood at the corner of the camp, looking through the bramble thicket that led to the outside land. She saw his ears flatten through the darkness, and the moonlight above illuminated on the glint of his white teeth as his lips peeled back in a snarl.

"Mouse dung," he said. "Wolfleap is out there. Clanmates seeing me would be bad, but my father seeing me would ruin it all."

"About that," Frozenpaw murmured. She didn't know how to describe her emotions towards him leaving, but all she knew was that it left a feeling that she couldn't place. It made her heart skip several beats in her chest. "Why do need me to do this?" She realized what she had said after the words were well out of her mouth.

Nettlepaw blinked. "What do you mean by that? You don't want to help me? You think that if I just leave it wouldn't change anything?"

"No, no. I'm sorry. It's just..." She couldn't explain how she was really feeling, if she didn't know what it was. So she quickly came up with an excuse. "I'm medicine cat apprentice. Don't you want a experienced warrior your htherir there are any predators out there?"

Nettlepaw shook her head. "I want you. You are the truest warrior, even though you are not under that rank. And..." He stared deeply at her with his amber eyes, "you are the only one who understands."

Frozenpaw sighed. It was true, and maybe she should've been glad, but that still didn't change anything. She was still living the life she didn't want to, and unlike Nettlepaw, she couldn't change it. Whatever she tried to prove herself, they would see it as wrong.

"Well then," she said. "Let's go."

Nettlepaw padded across the camp, Frozenpaw dashed up to walk beside him. "We'll have to go up through the dirt-place tunnel," he said.

Frozenpaw wrinkled her nose at the thought of making her way through a smelly tunnel, but she didn't argue.

They came to the tunnel and as Nettlpaw slipped through, a large dry stick snapped loudly under his paws. Frozenpaw whirled to see if any cat had heard and would come out to see what was happening. The would notice her in the night with her spotless white pelt and question what was happening. So, she shoved herself in after her friend, but just as she disappeared from camp, she thought she saw a flash of yellow eyes.

* * *

Frozenpaw tripped over a root as she ran. Dust clouded up around her. If she could see, she wouldn't know if it would easier in one way, or harder in another. Her chest thumped wildly, even though she had not been running long, chills crept up and down her spine, and she didn't know why. She just wanted to know why.

Nettlepaw stopped beside her as she got up and yanked her foot from under the root. It stung slightly as she did, but she could put it down without wincing she nodded.

"Why are you running so fast? We aren't in a hurry," Nettlepaw said.

Frozenpaw looked over at him. "I think we were seen."

Only a quick flash of alarm flickered across his face. "Well, at least don't wake the rest of the forest with your noisy paw steps," he meowed. His voice was teasing and she could see that he was smiling warmly at her.

"Let's get going," he said. "I want to make it as far as WindClan with you."

Frozenpaw dipped her head and the both took off. This time, she was careful not to run into any trees.

Once the hit the edge of the territory, they slowed. Nettlepaw stopped right at the border on the Thunderpath, and Frozenpaw knew it wasn't because he wanted to check for monsters.

"I'm not going to miss Clanlife," he murmured, "but I'm going to miss the cats that were part of it. Leafpelt, Wolfleap, Icyclaws."

"Stonepaw and Smallpaw," Frozenpaw added.

Nettlepaw growled. "No. They are two things I am really looking forward on leaving behind. They never loved me, so why should I care about how they'll feel?"

She stared at him as he glared at his paws, probably wondering if they'll rejoice at his disappearance. She felt a pang of sadness for him. She knew what it was like to be the odd one out, but not to be hated by her own sibling.

_Lionpaw..._

"Well," Nettlepaw whispered, lifting his paw. "What am I waiting for here?"

He ever so softly placed his paw down on the Thunderpath, and shuddered as if it sent lightning through him. He took his next paw and did the same, except this time, he barely trembled. Then, he bunched his muscles and leapt a great distance onto the hard black ground. He laughed softly, but it quickly turned into a yowl of triumph. Frozenpaw watched as he ran around over it, filling the forest with his cheers.

"And you say _I'll _wake the forest," she giggled. She followed him onto the path, yowling along with him. As they danced around, their calls melted into a perfect harmony, and the strange, unfamiliar feeling Frozenpaw had, grew stronger until she couldn't help but laugh until she was out of air.

As she tried to catch her breath, she looked up at the sky. It was a big ocean of dark gray with a silver sun to illuminate upon them. Nettlepaw stopped and gazed up with her. "Funny how it all looks different when you're different."

She made no response but it was a statement to just be heard, not agreed upon. She took a deep breath of Thunderpath air and watched as the stars shone beside the moon, twinkling with an unheard melody, watching her with unseen eyes.

"Shall we continue?" Nettlepaw asked? Frozenpaw turned to see he was already padding off in the direction of WindClan territory.

"I'm coming," she murmured.

The pair padded along side each other, and as they went passed Fourtrees, the forest thinned out and the moor was stretched out before her and Nettlepaw. The sky was so open then, with not a tree to block a mouse length of it.

"Do you think StarClan is watching us now?" Nettlepaw asked.

"I don't know for certain," Frozenpaw replied. "But I'm thinking that they'd want to say good bye to such a great warrior."

"Great?" Nettlepaw snorted. "Yeah, great as in a half starved pigeon that got trapped in a hungry badger's den."

"Shut up. Don't say that."

"I was awful at fighting."

Frozenpaw gazed at him in this amber eyes, fixed on the vast land ahead. She sighed. "You know Nettlepaw, being part of this world isn't about risking your life out training with your littermates, it isn't about how many times you defeat Stonepaw. It isn't about following your destiny. It's about being there for your friends when they need you, however they need you. Somedays they'll need a hunter or a fighter, but somedays they'll just need a shoulder to lean on."

Nettlepaw looked over at her. "Too bad there aren't any friends out there for me, but thank you, Frozenpaw. That's very true. You are very wise for your age."

She smiled slightly. She wondered if Hailblaze's words touched him the way they touched her back when she was two moons, three quarters and two days old.

"Don't worry, they'll be somebody out there to be your friend. If it isn't the first cat you meet, it'll be the second, because you are the greatest friend I could ask for."

"How about when you thought I was weird?" he asked, eying her. Then he chuckled.

They cut around the moor, away from where Fourtrees stood. If she pricked her ears really good, she could hear the wall of water in the gorge off in the distance. They were nearing the end of Clan territory, and with each paw step, the feeling she had would send aches to her chest.

_Why am I feeling this way? _

As the mingling sent of WindClan and RiverClan went fainter and fainter, Frozenpaw bristled. She hated it. She hated the feeling. She hated what the feeling was making her think. She growled at herself, but Nettlepaw didn't seem to hear. He had stopped walking abruptly and was staring at a rigging log about a tree-length off.

"What is it?" Frozenpaw asked, sounding more hostile than she intended.

"Leafpelt once told me that that log signals the end of Clan territory," he replied dully.

Frozenpaw blinked, surprised. They had made it already? Why did it go so quickly? Why could they had not spent more time together before he left?

Nettlepaw turned to her. "Frozenpaw, I want you to pretend that you didn't know I was leaving. I don't want you to get involved in anything the Clan might think about my disappearance. I just want to protect you from any more pain."

_He knows that I hurt..._ "Okay, Nettlepaw. I promise I'll keep it a mystery, but don't stop from keeping your memory alive, okay? You deserved to be remembered."

He didn't argue. He just looked deeply into her eyes, like they were all he could see. She was trembling slightly, but enough for Frozenpaw to see. He reached down and rubbed his muzzle over hers. She drew in a sharp breath, surprised at his actions, but she didn't pull away, in fact, she fell deeper in, heart thumping rapidly in her chest.

It was then she knew.

"Goodbye Frozenpaw," he whispered, taking a step back. "It was too bad you were training as a medicine cat. If you were going to be a warrior, maybe I would stay." He flicked his tail and ran towards the log, with tons of power in his hind legs he launched himself over it, landing upon the ground he would walk upon for the rest of his life, leaving Frozenpaw to stand on the ground he would never walk on again.

He padded off, and Frozenpaw watched as the horizon swallowed him, and through the darkness, she saw a flash of his amber eyes, as he looked back at her.

And just as quickly, he was gone.

Frozenpaw held back a wail. She wondered if would have changed anything, if she had said: _I love you._

**I was tearing up writing this. Please review! I need some love! Frozenpaw needs love! Review, please! Review! *bursts into tears and jumps off a cliff (where a giant pillow is waiting of course)***

**~Destiny**


	13. Chapter 12- The Feeling

**Oh my gosh guys. I updated, then came back the next day and saw that I already had 10 new reviews. That's more than I ever got in a single chapter! For that I'd like to thank Cinderfire16, shadeflower927, Pumpkinfur, Guest, Guest, DahliaStarr, ObSeSiVe BoOkWoRm, Pearlfeather, LarkspiritofForestClan and Petaldawn. Thank you all so much! Also an additional thanks to A Dewy Leaf, who bumped the number up to even hight than ten. I know how you all want Nettlepaw to come back, so I'm giving all of you Nettlepaw plushies! *tosses Nettlepaw to everyone* **

**Disclaimer: Erin Hunter owns Warriors. I don't. **

Flickerstar lifted his head to the cloudless sky, his voice raised so that the whole camp could hear. "Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names. Stonepaw, from now on you shall be known as Stoneclaw. StarClan honors you for your confidence and strength. Smallpaw, you are now Smallfeather. StarClan honors you for your hunting skills and patience, and we welcome you both as full warriors of ThunderClan." Stoneclaw and Smallfeather both licked the ginger tom's shoulder and hopped of the Highrock to hear the congratulations.

Frozenpaw sat beside Hailblaze outside the medicine den. She glared coldly at the newly named warriors as they pranced around camp, acting like they had just conquered the world. It hurt her deeply in the heart to see that their lost brother had never crossed their mind. Her gaze flickered to Wolfleap and Leafpelt. The silver tom wore an overjoyed smile on his lips as he watched his son and daughter. Leafpelt looked the same, except her grin was hovering in front of the sadness that was unsuccessfully concealed behind.

_So I'm not the only one..._

Frozenpaw sighed the Feeling starting to weigh her down in the grass. She had not gone a heart beat without it there, reminding her with sharp pangs of the cat who was lost from her life. It stalked her in the rare happy moments she had and exploded in her chest when the times were rough. It had only been two moons, and yet she felt like she had head a lot of rough times lately. Her head was fogged by the memory of her return.

_Frozenpaw slipped through the dirt place tunnel, the milky light of dawn beginning to show upon the rim of the sky. She climbed into her nest and closed her eyes, even though she knew very well, that she would not be able to sleep. The fear kept her up for the rest of the fading night, and in her head, she continuously saw the pair of yellow eyes that watched her and Nettlepaw leave. _

_And then she heard it, the soft latter of paw steps as cats began stirring. Bracken rustled as Hailblaze switched positions, and Frozenpaw knew that he would soon wake up. Did he get up in the middle of the night and notice she was gone? Would he say something. Frozenpaw forced her breathing to keep steady. _

_Beetletooth's voice was the first she heard. "Wake up, Stonepaw, we're going on the dawn patrol."_

_For many moments, there was silence, and Frozenpaw held her breath. _

_"Who else is coming?" Stonepaw asked, his voice slurred with sleep. He had not noticed Nettlepaw's empty nest, and Frozenpaw released her breath._

_"Good morning, Frozenpaw," Hailblaze said. She opened her eyes and looked up, pretending to look tired._

_She grunted in reply. _

_"We don't really have much to do today. We need some goldenrod, but I'll get that myself. And-" Frozenpaw shut out his words and listened outside for any notification that Nettlepaw had been realized missing._

_Still nothing._

_She sighed. "Okay, Hailblaze."_

_She got up from her nest and padded up to him for instructions, but before she could, Smallpaw's voice rang out. "Nettlepaw's missing!"_

_Frozenpaw bristled. Hailblaze looked up and swiftly padded outside the den. She followed. Flickerstar had emerged from his den and he remained calm. "Relax. He must be at the dirt place. Icyclaws, would you go check?"_

_"Yes Flickerstar," the white she-cat said. She slipped through the tunnel. Moments later, she hopped back out. "He's not there!"_

_And then the Clan was whispering to one another, wondering where he could have gone. Frozenpaw looked from one cat to the next, looking to see if any of them had their eyes questioningly laid on her, but not one cat was looking at her, not even Hailblaze. _

_Leafpelt and Wolfleap looked worried, but what pained her the most is that they weren't frantic. They remained calm the whole time, even when the search party confirmed that Nettlepaw was not in the territory. _

_Stonepaw and Smallpaw wore sheepish grins on their faces, like they were trying to hide their happiness that their brother had finally run away. Lionpaw was stifling a laugh as well, and Frozenpaw felt the need to sink her claws into his flesh. _

How could no one care that he was gone?

It had now been two moons, and his disappearance was old news. No one talked about him, no one thought about him. No one but Frozenpaw, and she was determined to keep his memory alive, one way or another.

Stoneclaw padded up to Lionpaw. "It'll be your turn next. And soon enough I'll be leader, and you'll be my loyal deputy."

The light brown tabby frowned. "I thought _I _was going to be leader. Smallfeather agreed with me."

Stonepaw looked away. "She doesn't know what she's talking about."

Frozenpaw narrowed her eyes. Stonepaw's prideful smile had faltered. _He thinks Lionpaw will be leader just as much as everyone else here. He just doesn't want to admit it. _

She turned her attention away from them, but as she did, the Feeling clawed at her belly, forcing her to look back. How would she ever stop letting it hurt her without having to take interest in her brother?

With a sigh she started walking up to them. _Baby steps, _she thought. _If I can't fight it, I should embrace it. _"Hey Stoneclaw," she began.

The gray tom turned sharply towards her, an irritated look on his face. "What do you want?" he snapped.

_Don't let it anger you..._"Well, congrats on earning your name. It's too bad your brother isn't here to become a warrior with you. What do you think his warrior name would have been?"

Stoneclaw growled, "Warrior name? He'd be an elder before he'd pass his final assessment. "Why would you care anyway? He's gone now, so just forget about him."

"I'm sorry," she hissed through gritted teeth. The warrior's remark sent fury searing through her body, "but if _you _were missing would you have wanted to just be forgotten?"

Stoneclaw hovered over her, his shadow shading her white fur to gray. "Well at least I'm worth remembering. Nettlepaw isn't even missing. He's dead by now, wherever he is. That mangy cat couldn't battle a kit."

The Feeling suddenly burst inside her, raising her fur in wrath, her claws dug into the ground as she yowled. "That is not true Stoneclaw! If you even saw through his eyes, you'd know how terrible, no, _cruel_you were to him_. _So what is Clanlife didn't suit him, so what if he wasn't as strong as you are. No one, _no one _should treat his memory with as much disrespect as you are." _  
_

Stoneclaw peeled his lips back. In a flash of gray, his claws smacked over her face with such force that she was knocked tail lengths to the side. Blood seeped down into her eyes, and through a crimson hue, she could see that tom, standing right over her. _"Do not _talk to me that way. I am a warrior now, and deserve to be treated with respect. Nettlepaw, was weak, and if he isn't dead, he ran away because he was afraid of life." He lowered his muzzle down to her ear. "And if you don't like it, then go follow him." And he was gone, padding off towards the warrior den. Lionpaw gave her a helpless look and followed his friend.

_He just...let that happen..._

* * *

Hailblaze dabbed some cobweb over Frozenpaw's wound. Stoneclaw's blow had left a deep scratch over her eye, and it throbbed with pain. The Feeling wasn't hurting her anymore. Now it all felt numb.

"Stoneclaw should have controlled his actions, but what he said was true, he is a warrior now, and therefore, has more power than you. You should be talking to him with more respect."

"But what about Nettlepaw?" Frozenpaw asked him.

"It's been two moons since he'd gone. His body is no where to be found, he isn't being held prisoner. It's clear he ran away because he didn't like Clanlife. If he'd rather live as a rogue, so be it," Hailblaze murmured. He chewed up a dock leaf and applied it to the scratch. "There, you should be okay. Now, please take these borage leaves to Dusksky. Her kits are due any day now."

Frozenpaw sighed, took the leaves and headed for the nursery. The she-cat had announced her pregnancy with Badgerfang's kits two sunrises after Nettlepaw ran away. That really seemed to lighten the mood for everyone, getting them all to start forgetting about him.

The grayish-brown she-cat was relaxing outside the nursery. Frozenpaw grunted and she looked up. "Oh, hello Frozenpaw. Are those for me?"

Frozenpaw dropped the leaves at her muzzle. "Uh, yeah. They y're coming any day now, so we want your milk to be ready."

"Thanks."

"Yeah."

She turned to head back for the medicine den, but as she began walking, Stormshade and his sister, Whitefur passed by her. Stormshade knocked her with his shoulder and he looked back. "Watch it, runt," he snarled bitterly.

Frozenpaw swallowed. Nettlepaw's memory did live on. Through her.

**Okay, a much shorter chapter than normal, but really it was a filler just to show you how both Frozenpaw and the Clan were reacting to his disappearance. The next chapter should be better I hope. But please review!**

**~Destiny**


	14. Chapter 13- She's a white shadow

**OKAY, LISTEN UP EVERYONE! I HAVE REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF TO SAY! AND NO, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RANDOM WORDS. WE ARE ALMOST AT 100 REVIEWS! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? IT MEANS THAT ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN READING ARE ALL INCREDIBLY AWESOME AND SUPPORTIVE! WE'LL DEFINITELY MAKE IT TO 100 BEFORE THE NEXT CHAPTER, SO GO LOOK ON MY PROFILE AND LOOK TO SEE WHAT THE PRIZE IS FOR THE 100TH REVIEWER AFTER READING (and reviewing) THIS CHAPTER!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors **

Frozenpaw walked towards the fresh-kill pile, her belly rumbling with hunger. Hailblaze said that she had done a really good job and deserved a big meal. Her tongue smacked over her whiskers at the thought of devouring a plump squirrel.

Suddenly, Snowshine bounded up to the prey, just as Frozenpaw made it. Se reached for the largest piece, the squirrel, Frozenpaw had been craving. She glared into her mothe r's eyes and realized something.

When was the last time she had spoken to Snowshine?

The white warrior made no notice that Frozenpaw was even there, so she just took her squirrel and padded off to the middle of the camp, where everyone else was sharing their meals. Frozenpaw sluggishly trailed behind, feeling uncomfortable, but knowing that it was the _mature _thing to do.

As Snowshine settled down, Frozenpaw padded to her front and smiled.

The white she-cat looked up. "Well, if it isn't my daughter. It's been quite a while since we've had a proper conversation, now hasn't it? What made you finally decide to stop hiding like a turtle in its shell?"

Frozenpaw was surprised that that was the way Snowshine had chose to greet her. Her mother matched her smile, but hers held cruelty, just like the cat in her dream a few moons ago. She swallowed. "Hello, to you too, mother."

Snowshine laughed softly. "You haven't changed a bit have you? I guess that doesn't matter. Sit, sit. I'm not going to be able to finish this whole squirrel, and Oakshade is out watching Lionpaw's training, so why don't you share it with me?"

She felt uneasy, but Frozenpaw nodded and sat down across the prey from her mother, who eyed her as she took the first bite.

Frozenpaw chewed the prey slowly, wary of her mother's hard gaze. But then she stopped. _Mother _didn't fit well. _Clanmate _was just as wrong in her head. As the realizations came to her, anger rose higher and higher in her body, and watching Snowshine look Frozenpaw over like she knew everything about her made her fur bristle. She forced it to lie flat as she tore another piece of meat from the squirrel.

"You don't, you know," she murmured.

"I don't what?" Snowshine asked, still holding her fake grin. Her voice was light and high, a way to make herself sound innocent, but Frozenpaw wasn't buying it.

"You don't know me."

That's when her face fell.

"Don't even try anymore."

Snowshine looked at the squirrel, averting Frozenpaw's accusing stare. One side of her lip lifted, revealing a tooth. "I think I'd know my daughter pretty well."

"Name one thing you know about me," growled Frozenpaw.

Snowshine looked up, clearly not fond of the situation. "You are a gifted healer."

"Doesn't count. Anyone could tell that."

The white she-cat then grunted and flexed her claws, watching how the sunlight reflected off them. Suddenly, her expression changed, and instead of her scowl, she plastered a dark smirk over her lips. "You had feelings for Nettlepaw."

Frozenpaw jerked her shoulders back. Her claws unsheathed over the grass and her heart beat faster as Snowshine waited for a reply.

"I guess you'd think that. Considering I'm the only one who actually _cares _that he just vanished without a trace. So apparently I like him just because I have the feelings any _normal _cat would have when their Clanmate went missing."

Snowshine sighed. "Don't be like that, Frozenpaw. Even you know he was a weakling. Why is he worth bringing back to the Clan when he wasn't meant for it in the first place?"

Frozenpaw didn't want to turn it into an argument about her lost friend. The Feeling was starting to crawl up her fur so she quickly changed the subject. "Let's get back to me. Is that all you know? Obvious and false things, just said to protect your reputation? How about some real _facts? _Because right now, I know a lot of things about you."

Snowshine widened her eyes, but didn't say anything. Her intense glare was daring Frozenpaw to say more, and she was certainly going to.

"Actually," she mewed sourly, "everything I know about you can tie together into one big idea. You-" Frozenpaw stopped herself when she saw out of the corner of her eye, Mousewhisper, Oakshade and Lionpaw returning from training. Her brother was wearing a simple smile. She looked back and forth at Snowshine's face and his. While Snowshine looked falsely innocent, and Lionpaw was really, truly a naive apprentice. He was naturaly the way he was, perfect in everything he did. How could anyone not admire that? She was a shadow in the back round, one who preferred to stay there, but thought she didn't.

Lionpaw stood out. He was effortlessly amazing at what he did, but he still tried to stay there at the top. She was waiting for something to take her there, like being perfect was as simple as breathing, but it wasn't. And now, she was medicine cat apprentice, on the path she didn't want to take because real-life wasn't a fantasy, and it had taken her so long to realize it.

"I, what?" Snowshine asked, voice hard.

Frozenpaw turned back to her. "Nothing. Never mind. I'm sorry for...being so stupid." She stood up and turned. "You can finish the squirrel. I'm not hungry anymore."

She left her mother behind, padding off into the darkness of the medicine cat den, where a shadow like her belonged.

Hailblaze looked up from his work- something he seemed to be doing even when it wasn't necessary. He blinked when he noticed the pain on Frozenpaw's face and abandoned his sorting to talk to her. She quickly looked away, trying agonizingly hard to do something she couldn't: keep him away.

"What happened out there?" he asked firmly. "I thought I told you to go eat something." When she didn't reply, his voice softened. "Who was it this time?"

Frozenpaw looked up at his green gaze with her own, cursing that she had. Because if she had continued to avoid his stare, she wouldn't have been spilling all her feelings to the cat it began with.

Her voice was broken, uneven shaken by sobs as she spoke. "I never thought much of it until you came it that one day for Lionkit." She paused abruptly to take a long, choppy breath. "You thought I had potential as a medicine cat, I heard it in your praise. That's when it really stood out. That I'd be more useful as a healer than a warrior. But a warrior is all I really wanted to be." She continued on through the story, moving through Oakshade's comment to her decision to her ceremony. But she left out the haunting dream she had at the Moonstone, fearing now more than ever on what her mentor had to say about it.

"Frozenpaw," he sighed. "Don't let things like a mouse-brained remark from a mouse-brained cat bring you down. I know you were a kit back then, but you were wise enough to know that Oakshade is an arrogent fox-heart not worth anyone's time."

She held back a sob. "I wanted him to like me the way he liked Lionkit. I was his _daughter._" She dug her claws into the ground. "But it's too late now. I'm your apprentice, Lionpaw is the stellar littermate, and I'll just have to live with it." She inhaled deeply. "I had a chance to make things right, but I never took it. Things won't be right because I was a little too late."

Hailblaze brushed his tail along her shoulder. "Frozenpaw, I'm not the best cat at cheering others up, but that one night when we were heading for the Moonstone, you fought well."

"I can't exactly use my talent," she whispered.

Hailblaze opened his mouth to respond but was cut off when Talonfoot entered the den. He was holding one paw up, and his face was twisted with pain. "Excuse me?"

"Yes?" asked Hailblaze, turning to look at him. "Can I help you?"

"I got a thorn in my pad," he said, holding up his forepaw. "It stings."

Hailblaze walked over to him, suddenly in work mode, like he and Frozenpaw had never had their conversation. "Frozenpaw can you get the poultice ready?"

She nodded sharply, really annoyed that he had just left their discussion for a little thorn. As she mixed some marigold and made it into a soft ointment, Hailblaze grabbed the thorn with his teeth and pulled it out of Talonfoot's pad. A squirt of blood erupted from the cut and Talonfoot bent over to lick it clean. Frozenpaw went over and applied the poultice.

"There," she said dully, "Stay off of it for the rest of the day. Let us know if it starts to hurt or throb."

"Thanks," the warrior replied. "You're pretty good at this...Frostpaw?"

"Close enough," she muttered. And he limped away.

She expected Hailblaze to them, return to sorting herbs across the den, but he turned right back to Frozenpaw and immediately said, "Talent? Frozenpaw, you're gifted at everything you do. You'd make this Clan proud if you were warrior or medicine cat. Every Clan-cat is meant for something great. Just be glad you didn't have the same fate as Nettlepaw."

Frozenpaw felt her our prickle. "Could we stop bringing him up? It's bringing back memories I'd rather leave behind."

He looked at her for a moment, then made the same smirk Snowshine did before she accused Frozenpaw of liking the dark gray tom. "Of course. It's for the better anyway. Medicine cats aren't allowed to have mates."

**I DO NOT KNOW IF WE ALREADY HAD ONE, BUT IF YOU ARE THE FIRST REVIEWER, YOU GET THE PRIZE NAMED ON MY PROFILE AS THE ONE HUNDRETH REVIEWER, SO REVIEW! RIGHT NOW! BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!**

**Anyway, WAFFLES!**

**~Destiny**


	15. Chapter 14- Beyond the den walls

**Hello, my lovelies! You know, I've noticed something about myself. When it comes to FanFiction, I write a few chapters, post them every day to every other day, and then wait a bit before I write again. I don't do this on purpose, it just happens. Another strange thing is that I tend to write a whole lot more over the week then the weekend, when I actually have more time. Odd right? **

**Anyway, thanks SO MUCH for the reviews. Wolftaco was our 100th reviewer, so a big thank you to her for getting us over the 100 mark, and thanks to the rest of you for keeping up with this story and reviewing so much. It really means a lot. Tell me what plushie you want in your review, and enjoy this next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Warriors. **

Hailblaze wrapped Rabbitfoot's shoulder in cobwebs carefully. The ginger and white tom was one of the three cats sitting in the medicine den at the time. Poppyfall had been leading a patrol with Rabbitfoot Oakshade and Lionpaw when they had come across a two foxes. Lionpaw had been sent back to get help while the other three fought the foxes off. Frozenpaw couldn't help but scowl deeply, knowing that Lionpaw had intentionally been put out of harm.

She dabbed some horsetail on a deep claw mark on Poppyfall's hind leg before wrapping it with cobweb. The dappled she-cat watched with wonder as Frozenpaw's claws worked quickly.

"Wow," Poppyfall murmured. "You sure are skilled at this."

Frozenpaw grunted in response. "So I've been told before." She quickly turned away. "Just rest for a little bit. I'll be back in a while to change the cobweb and put on some fresher stuff."

Hailblaze had just finished up with Rabbitfoot, and was now turning towards Oakshade.

"Oh no," growled the dark brown tom. "I don't need to be fussed over like a kit. I'll be fine."

"In a few days, Oakshade," Hailblaze hummed, padding closer, "you go tell that to your _infection. _Now let me see those wounds."

He snarled in defiance, but showed the medicine cat his ear, which had been shredded badly. Frozenpaw imagined a fox ripping it off and couldn't help but smile.

_Serves him right, that arrogant fur-ball. _

Her mentor didn't look up from Oakshade as he spoke. "Frozenpaw, since you're done with Poppyfall, why don't you go check on the kits. I think Dusksky mentioned Sweetkit having a fever yesterday."

Frozenpaw nodded. Dusksky gave birth to two kits a half moon ago. She padded to the nursery and stuck her head in. The gray-brown she-cat lay curled up with her head raised, watching as her two kits stumbled around. She looked over at Frozenpaw as she entered and gave a warm smile.

"Greetings," she purred.

Frozenpaw nodded. "Hailblaze mentioned that you thought Sweetkit had a fever yesterday?"

Dusksky pricked her ears with recognition. "Oh yes. I think she's okay now, but you better look her over just in case."

With a dip of her head, Frozenpaw padded a few steps to where the kits were playing. The smell of milk and youth reminded her of her days in the nursery. The days when she slept soundly beside Lionkit and the days her pelt burned with anger at Snowshine filled her mind. Then came across the memories of her apprenticship, as she grew apart from her brother and hatred bubbled inside her ever time she _saw _her parents.

"Hello, kits," she said, sounding as cheery as she could possibly. The two looked up at her and blinked with their round eyes. Sweetkit, an exact replica of her mother, and Mumblekit, a tabby tom, named for his low voice.

"Hi," he rumbled. "Are you medicine cat?"

"Medicine cat apprentice," Frozenpaw corrected. She looked thoughtfully at Sweetkit. "And I hear that Sweetkit wasn't feeling all that well yesterday. I am right?"

The little she-kit shrugged. "Not really, but I am better now! Hey, we saw a butterfly this morning, and it was so pretty. Have you even seen a butterfly before, medicine cat?"

Frozenpaw forced a smile. It badgered her how quickly kits lost focus. She was never that spacy as a kit, but she tried to look pleased. "Well, no I haven't." She cleared her throat. "Even though you aren't feeling feverish, I should still look you over, okay?"

Sweetkit shrugged and bounded forward. Frozenpaw touched her pad to the kits's nose, feeling her temperature. Then she sniffed her. "You do feel normal. I wonder what that could've been." She looked up at Dusksky, who had been watching curiously. "Just watch over her carefully. If the fever comes back, let me know."

She nodded. "I will, Frozenpaw, thank you."

She shrugged and padded outside. _I guess everyone really does see me as medicine cat now. _Frozenpaw tried not to let it bother her, but she couldn't help but feel the irritation churning in her belly. Most of her wanted to scream to the Clan who she really was, a warrior through and through, but the part of her that held her self-control forced her fur to lie flat. There could be no way for her to outshine Lionpaw. Even Stoneclaw and Smallfeather, proving to be strong warriors, were lost in his shadows.

Frozenpaw saw the light brown tabby tom across the camp, speaking with his mentor, Mousewhisper. _I just have to face it. Lionpaw will be leader and I, his medicine cat. _

She slipped into the medicine den to see the three warriors sitting in their nests. Rabbitfoot was in a doze, while Poppyfall stretched and Oakshade just looked incredibly uncomfortable. She padded up to him without even realizing it. The last things she really wanted was to get involved an argument about her and Lionpaw, but that didn't stop her from sourly remarking, "See? This is why you don't get foolishly involved in a battle with foxes."

Oakshade snapped his green gaze to her sharply. His look was challenging. She noticed his claws unsheathe in front of him. "What did you expect us to do? Run like cowards? Ha! If this is what bravery costs, I'll fight a fox any day."

"Oh, Oakshade," she murmured. "You don't have to protect your self-security by calling yourself brave, because deep down, everyone knows it was just stupid."

She flicked his injured ear with her tail. That's when he lashed out on her, teeth bared in a furious snarl. "Watch what you say, kit or I'll-"

"Another sign of stupidity," Frozenpaw sighed. "This is really getting pathetic. You can't hurt a medicine cat. We have more power than you do."

It struck her as she said that, that she should've said it to Stoneclaw the day eHe became a warrior, but she was distracted with her grief towards Nettlepaw to mention it, she supposed.

Oakshade stared at her through the roundest eyes she had ever seen. Then shot up to look down on her, like he was supposed to be intimidating. "Maybe so," he snarled. "But are you a medicine cat? No. You are just a naive, ignorant apprentice. I am a warrior, and your father I-"

"_What?!" _screeched Frozenpaw, snapping Rabbitfoot out of his doze. Poppyfall and Hailblaze both looked there way, startled. "_What _did you call yourself?! Did you just say you were my father?"

"I am," he snarled back at her.

"No!" Frozenpaw yowled. "You do _not have the right! _You do not just ignore me and hate me my whole life just to come crawling back and suddenly act like you own me! Don't you _dare _call yourself my father! Because you do not deserve that title!"

Oakshade snaked forward, forcing Frozenpaw back. "You're lecturing me? How dull do you think I am? I've been in this world long enough to know that if I am part of the reason you are here, I am your father, whether you like it or not, Frostpaw."

"_You don't even know my name!" _she yowled. Just as she was about to strike him over his shredded ear, Hailblaze threw himself between them.

"That is it!" he growled. Frozenpaw waited for him to turn to her and scold her, but he faced Oakshade, and Oakshade alone. "How dare you?" he growled. "Who do you think you are to talk to your own daughter like she is your slave? You do not deserve the name of a warrior."

The dark brown tabby didn't back down. "I passed my assessments didn't I? Besides, what would you know about a warrior's honor? You gather leaves for a living."

Poppyfall gasped behind him.

Hailblaze's gaze grew wider. "I'm a typically calm cat, Oakshade. It takes a whole lot of idiotic cats to tip me off, and I think your own ignorance did the job." He shoved the tabby vigorously away, into his nest. "If you have the nerve to speak to your daughter and your medicine cat that way, you are the fool. Frozenpaw has every right to feel the way she does, and so do I. Stop holding yourself above everything else in this world for a change, and open your cold. Blind. Eyes."

"I bet your son won't like hearing about this," Frozenpaw said softly.

Oakshade looked past Oakshade at her. "Oh come on. It takes more than a couple of sweet-smelling medicine cats to lure him onto their soft side of the war."

"Get out of my den," Hailblaze suddenly snarled.

Oakshade reluctantly got up and limped out of the medicine den with a sprained paw. Frozenpaw turned to Hailblaze, shaken by the dispute. "Looks like we have enemies within our own Clan," she meowed.

**I hate you Oakshade! Go to the Dark Forest! *grabs Oakshade plushie and chucks it at a brick wall before giving to let dog to chew to pieces and then tosses the remains off a cliff into the ocean where a bunch of hungry sharks are waiting.***

**Just so you know, the point of Frozenpaw going to the nursery to check Sweetkit was to A. Fill up the chapter. B. Announce the birth of Dusksky's kits. And C. Explain how Frozenpaw was feeling about the way kits really were compared to how she was. **

**Review!**

**~Destiny**


	16. Chapter 15- Strange, or nightmarish?

**Oh my gosh guys, so many reviews! Before I posted this chapter I had 100 more reviews than I had chapters. You know how that feels? Awesome, that's how. You are all so epic.**

**Wolftaco gets an Oakshade plushie to rip into pieces *tosses plushie***

**DahliaStarr gets a Frozenpaw and Nettlepaw plushie because they are so cute together. *tosses plushies***

**Enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Are any of you out there tired of reading these? Because I'm tired of writing them. *sigh* I don't own Warriors! **

"Hello, Frozenpaw. It's good to see you again," Squirrelfur purred sarcastically, smiling broadly at the white she-cat. Frozenpaw dug her claws into the ground as she stopped beside Hailblaze at Highstones.

She knew since her first day, that there was something about going to the Moonstone that she hated. It didn't take many visits to realize it was Squirrelfur. Since the first time the pale gray she-cat teased her about her size, Frozenpaw had forever, searched for some good reason the medicine cat didn't like her for. She had grown since her ceremony, and was now almost Squirrelfur's size, but that didn't seem to change anything.

Hailblaze softly growled. "Don't talk to her that way, Squirrelfur. Anyway, where's Goldenwillow? Is she ill?"

The WindClan medicine cat suddenly appeared forlorn. "I am afraid so. Very ill. With a disease I am unfamiliar with."

Spiralwhisker, who had been sitting beside Squirrelfur, nodded. "We are all sorry to that. May StarClan guide your paw steps, and Goldenwillow that we all wish the best for her."

"It's very hard to grasp," Squirrelfur admitted. "She's always been by my side, and I've known her for so long. Getting used to being the only medicine cat is going to take a while to get used to."

Hailblaze chuckled lightly. "Don't worry. It shouldn't take too long. Frozenpaw already acts like the leader of the herbs!"

Frozenpaw growled. It wasn't true. She had been an apprentice for five moons now, and she still felt completely out of place while sorting leaves or making poultices. Being a medicine cat was not her true destiny, and as Lionpaw's warrior ceremony wound closer and closer, she felt like she was watching the life she would never have play before her eyes.

"Come," Hailblaze said. "It's time we meet with our ancestors."

They journeyed down the series of dark tunnels, only using each other's scents to navigate them towards the cavern. Frozenpaw was beginning to feel more relaxed now when she came to the Moonstone. It had been so long since she had her haunting dream with the mysterious white cat. However, never had she come face to face with a real StarClan warrior. Her dreams would be filled with the things they always were: her longing to be a warrior, and her pain of her lost friend.

As the underground room opened up into an unreal world, Frozenpaw couldn't help but let herself fall into the endless wonder she was bound to endure, no matter how many times she would come to Highstones. Her fur would stand on end, her heart would quicken its pace, her spine would tingle with an icy sensation, just beholding the magnificent stone before her. She took her place beside Hailblaze, tucked her paws underneath her chest and let her nose connect with the sacred stone.

_Frozenpaw was flashed into a pool of darkness, abandoning the forest and her place beside her mentor. As she was flung into the peaceful void, there was nothing but just that. No worries, no thoughts about her family or Lionpaw or Nettlepaw or the other medicine cats. Just her, and blackness._

_She hated it when light filtered the pitch dark and shone through to her dreams._

_Frozenpaw blinked her eyes, trying to adjust her vision to see what had come before her. She gaped when she saw she was at Fourtrees, the same place she had her last StarClan dream. Fear and denial clenched her belly as she tried escaping her sleep. Not again, she thought frantically, listening for the almost soundless paw steps of the strange white cat._

_But they never came._

_Frozenpaw looked around, sniffed the air, pricked her ears, but there was no sign that the enigmatic cat was coming. The dread that gripped her stomach loosened, and she let out a deep breath. _

_But her relief didn't last her two heartbeats. _

_She was shot into another setting, a familiar land of trees and thick grasses. It took her not long to realize that she was in ThunderClan territory in the time of night. The sky was black overhead, dotted with occasional speck of silver light. She looked around, to see if there was anything that could indicate what was happening, and she froze when a twig snapped. She turned._

_A figure, a cat, swiftly padding through the trees. Frozenpaw wanted to move or snarl, or something, but she was locked into place, completely frozen. It didn't smell like her Clan either. The cat was out of place, in a territory it didn't belong. She wondered who the cat was, but her thoughts were cut short when she was warped through the darkness, and the next things she knew were a massive head ache and the edge of the land._

_She was standing at a cleft, where down below, she could feel evil brewing, it stirred and it growled, the kind of thing that made you want to run when you couldn't, and have no choice but to let go._

_Death._

_Frozenpaw leaped forward, but she had no idea where she was falling next. Teeth gripped her and she was flown high in the sky, like she expected a bird, she felt as though she could touch the stars, but, before she could even move, she was dropped._

_Cold air cut through her pelt as she fell from the sky to the ground, and when she landed, pain coursed through her body, and before she knew it, the scene was black, and her mind as empty._

_It was _

_completely_

_and yet_

_blankly_

_part of the_

_dark world_

_she had_

_fallen into._

_It_

_was_

_EMPTY._

Frozenpaw shook awake. Her pelt was hot with fever, and her heart thumped rapidly in her chest, as if there was a clap of thunder threatening to escape from her chest. Her paws ached, and she realized that there were faint scratches in the stone floor beneath her, where her claws had tried to grip the stone. Her pads bled, and her breathing was uneven. It was all too much too quickly, it was a sign that she was to receive, but it all went by too fast to mean anything.

It was an urgent warning.

Hailblaze jerked his hind leg before waking. Frozenpaw watched with wide eyes as he got up and stretched out. It took her not long to realize Spiralwhisker, Squirrelfur and Whispershadow had also risen from their dreams. She slowly stood up, fearing that if she moved to quickly, she would plunge into a whole new treacherous abyss of dark slumber.

"Hurry up," Squirrelfur grumbled.

Frozenpaw didn't even both to feel annoyed.

She and Hailblaze padded side by side as the headed back for ThunderClan territory. Frozenpaw just stared ahead at the milky gray sky, with unfocused eyes that would for one heartbeat be looking at the trees in the distance, and the next a bird that was soaring just above the horizon. Hailblaze turned to her.

"I had an...alarming dream," he whispered. "I did not want to bring up back there with the other medicine cats though. What did you see, Frozenpaw?"

"Tell me yours first," she replied.

He fixed his gaze in the distance. "I began in ThunderClan territory, and it was dark, nighttime. That's when a cat made it's way across, and it smelled like an intruder."

Frozenpaw stiffened. That was exactly how her dream started out, but she didn't say anything, she listened for Hailblaze to continue.

"But before I could move, I was in a new place. It wasn't a place I was familiar with at all. What dld you think that could mean? The Clans will find themselves in a whole new forest?"

"Just go on," she murmured.

"I was standing at a cliff, and down below there was nothing but pure evil," Hailblaze explained, and he pinched up his face. "I tried to get away, but when I did I was pushed away by an excellent force as some sort of beast leapt into the air, and as it got there, shone up in the sky like a star. It was the strangest dream I have ever had. Never has anything been so unclear to me."

Frozenpaw almost stopped walking. He wasn't carried up in the air like she was? He didn't fall and hit the ground like she did? Her heart continued its rapid beating as she looked away.

What _was _StarClan trying to tell them?

**Bleh. Worst chapter EVER in the history of EVERYTHING! I described the dream so sloppily. Also incredibly short. Now I'm sad. :( But please review to make me happy again!**

**~Destiny**


	17. Chapter 16- Spying

**Yay! Tons more reviews last chapter! I'd like to thank everyone who read and reviewed. Thanks for supporting me. Personally, I didn't like the last chapter, but I love you all for liking it! Again, yay! Enjoy this next chapter! I think right around here is when things start to unravel, so stick around and you'll see where everything is going! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. **

"Keep those paws apart, bend your legs!...Don't just use your shoulders, put everything into that leap! Lock your paws down-don't-no, don't twist!"

Lionpaw grunted and stumbled when Stoneclaw's paw struck him over the muzzle. Frozenpaw narrowed her eyes as she watched Oakshade shake his head in disappointment. Mousewhisper looked up at the dark tabby.

"Do you need to be here?" she asked, irritation pricking her voice. Smallfeather is a warrior, and I am Lionpaw's mentor around here."

Oakshade smiled at her, like she was kidding with her words. "I am Lionpaw's father, Mousewhisper, if you didn't know that. I've been working with him since kit-hood. I know I have the right to be here."

The deputy bristled. "Fine. Whatever. Just please, stop yelling at him. I'd rather him battle with no distractions. All this directing isn't helping him at all."

"I'm only trying to make him a better warrior," snarled Oakshade. "Let's say he was in battle. I'm giving him instructions so he can know what to do, then, because if he was fighting as sloppily as he is now, he'll find claws at his throat!"

Frozenpaw flinched. He had never spoken about his son like that before. Her gaze drifted to Lionpaw, who is rubbing a paw over his marked cheek. Did he hear Oakshade's words?

Mousewhisper was clearly angered by the tabby tom before her, but she didn't argue. Instead she said, "Let's try this again. Stoneclaw, Lionpaw, take your positions."

The two sparring cats nodded their heads, and crouched, ready for more training. Frozenpaw watched them, as Mousewhisper flicked her tail for them to begin.

Lionpaw was the first to rush forward, taking aim at Stoneclaw's throat. They gray warrior jumped to the side, but Lionpaw managed to slightly twist his body enough to follow the direction, and crash into him. Oakshade flicked his ear in recognition, and Frozenpaw gaped when she realized what he had done.

_It's that one move from back when we were kits! _she thought.

Lionpaw fastened his teeth loosely around Stoneclaw's shoulder, preventing him from using a strong blow to fight Lionpaw off. Stoneclaw tried digging his claws into Lionpaw's flank, to haul him away, but Lionpaw's weight took over, and he collapsed on top of the warrior. The light brown tabby pinned him tightly to the sand, holding himself close to Stoneclaw to keep the tom from striking him hard.

Mousewhisper yowled, and the cats pulled away from each other. Stoneclaw turned his back to everyone else and wrapped his tail over his paws. The deputy rushed forward to praise her apprentice, but Oakshade stayed behind, shaking his head.

Frozenpaw pulled her lips back. _Stop acting like you know everything! Even I admit that he did great! _As much as she didn't want to feel it, pride stirred in her heart.

Lionpaw looked over at his father, looking for any sign of approval. Oakshade sighed.

"Great job, pinning him down," he muttered. "But if we were in battle-"

"Why do you keep bringing that up?" hissed Moisewhisper. "The Clans are at peace right now, Oakshade. There will be no battle any time soon. Just be glad he did good. No one wants to hear you complaining."

Lionpaw scowled. "I thought you supported my fighting," he snarled. "You said I was better than any other warrior you have ever seen!"

Oakshade looked bewildered. "You are son, but we have to keep up with this. Clanlife is unpredictable, you never know when we could have trouble with another Clan. We have to keep you in practice and motivated and ready to conquer every attack with your own. You wouldn't want to end up in that stupid medicine den with your sister in the midst of battle, would you?"

_What's that supposed to mean? _

Lionpaw shrugged. "I guess not. She's treat me like I'm a weak kit that needs her help. Well I don't need her, or Hailblaze."

Frozenpaw flinched. Had Oakshade told him about the incident with her and her mentor? Is he convincing Lionpaw that medicine cats are bad news?

_If they can't accept me as a warrior, StarClan let them see me as at least something! _

"Frozenpaw..."

She whipped around, squeaking a bit in surprise. Hailblaze stood off, eyes narrowed at her-or rather what she was watching.

"What are you doing here? I couldn't find you back at camp."

Frozenpaw sighed. "I've been watching Lionpaw's training."

"Why?" asked Hailblaze coming towards her. Then he paused. "Oh, yes. Frozenpaw, I thought we discussed this."

"Talking about it won't always make it better," muttered Frozenpaw. "I've just been so bothered about Oakshade. He acts like he knows everything! I wish I could just go in there and show him who he's talking about."

Hailblaze looked thoughtful, but torn.

"He said that we only exist for the weak," she hissed, bristling.

"I know you are feeling anger towards your father right now but-"

"I thought you agreed with me that he wasn't my father!" spat Frozenpaw. "You said that he didn't have the right to call himself that! Let me get in there, show them what a medicine cat can do!"

Hailblaze sighed. "Why waste our time with Oakshade? He's just an arrogant fox-heart, and let that be. He's to far into his own selfishness for anything we have to do or say to affect him."

He turned and began padding off. Frozenpaw stayed put. She _needed _to do this. She _needed _prove him wrong. She _needed _him to see who he was talking about.

Her mentor noticed she wasn't following him and said firmly, "He already knows, Frozenpaw, that's why he's doing it. You're just going to have to accept that that is the way he is, and leave it at that."

"We don't even have any work to do right now. We sorted and gathered all of the herbs yesterday and this morning," she begged. "Please? I really want to."

That seemed to spark something in Hailblaze's mind, but not what she had thought. "Let me get this straight, Frozenpaw, if I may." He padded up until he was nose to nose with her. "You want to purposely harm your Clanmate just because he said a few insensitive things about you? Purposely? Your Clanmate? With claws?"

She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. What he said did sound a little offbeat.

"I think he certainly knows he is not liked by us, but what is that going to do? Nothing. He is still a good warrior. A gifted hunter and fighter. Defeating him in a training hollow won't make any difference to that, okay?"

Frozenpaw sighed, flexing her claws over the soft ground. "Okay. Fine. Whatever. But what am I going to do? There's no work. I'm going to be bored for the rest of the day."

"Why don't we hunt? The pile was low this morning. It'll get your mind off things."

She agreed, and Hailblaze led her away from the training hollow. They padded far across the territory, and Frozenpaw guessed that he really wanted her to stop thinking about Oakshade, so she tried, but as soon as her mind reeled away from her father, they landed right on top of her brother. Lionpaw was beginning to agree with Oakshade that she was useless, something he never thought of her before. She remembered when they were kits and he'd curl up beside her before they slept, his warm fur soothing her to slumber. She missed that cat. Wherever he was. She couldn't stand to think that he believed Oakshade and saw her for who she didn't want to be.

_If only he saw me they way I am. I can be just like him! No one ver gives me a chance. He's always the center of everything, and he doesn't even notice how I feel. _

"Frozenpaw."

She looked up. She hadn't even noticed that Hailblaze had stopped walking. She was several fox lengths ahead of him now, and her pelt heated up.

"I brought you hear to clear your mind, so do just that. Just think about prey. There's plenty out here," he meowed. Raising his muzzle in the air, he took in a deep breath if air. "I scent vole. I'll be back. Good luck hunting!" He swiftly walked off, leaving Frozenpaw where she stood.

_Okay. This will be easy. Just think about the prey. Imagine yourself killing a plump, meaty mouse. _She tasted the air, and right away, a delicious aroma danced on her tongue. She licked her lips. Sparrow.

And there it was. About a tree-length off, hopping in the dirt. Frozenpaw padded forward, getting close enough to it before crouching. Hailblaze had worked with her only once with her hunting skills, and that had to be several moons ago. But she was aware she had to keep silent, so she kept her tail raised slightly above the ground, and her paw steps light as she crept towards the bird.

It flapped its wings, but didn't take off. Frozenpaw knew it would take to the sky soon, so she moved faster, incredibly careful on where she was placing her paws.

The sparrow raised its wings again, and Frozenpaw immediately leapt, her paws were outstretched, and she was ready to sink her claws into the fresh meat of the bird. But she made her move too late, and the sparrow was well above her head by the time she landed.

Frozenpaw growled, frustrated with herself. She wasn't a hunter. She was born to fight. Why couldn't she just do a little practice. That's what made her feel good. It was the sure feeling that thumped in her heart of knowing she would make the blow, not having to watch everything around her at the same time just to catch a puny sparrow. She dug her claws into the grass where the bird used to be before flying off. If she were a warrior she would've trained better.

Suddenly, another scent slapped her nose. Frozenpaw frowned at the thought of stalking a new piece of pathetic prey, but that's when she realized that the scent belonged to a cat. And it couldn't be Hailblaze because he had gone in the opposite direction.

She was curious.

Frozenpaw followed the cat-scent. It was touched with the additional smell of sand. It had to have been someone who was with Lionpaw in the training hollow. That's when she daughter a flash of tabby fur through the trees. A first she thought it was her brother, but when she got a better view, she saw that it was really Oakshade.

_What are you up to, you stuck up furball? _she thought, and continued following him.

Oakshade walked for a long time, so long that Frozenpaw thought he would never stop, but that was when a roaring sound echoed roughly in the distance, and that was when she realized where he was going.

What was he thinking of doing at the ShadowClan border?

She stopped at the line of trees that bordered the Thunderpath. She gulped when she realized that it was one of the last places she saw Nettlepaw, and the first she really saw him look so happy. She could almost see the memory right in front of her eyes, as they pranced around on its hot black surface, gazing up at the sky._ Funny how it all looks different when you're different. _

Words she would cherish forever.

Oakshade was also at the Thunderpath, a little ways off. He stood right at the edge, looking from side to side. Though she had never seen much of them, Frozenpaw knew that strange and dangerous creatures call monsters ran along the path, striking any cat that they could see and killing it.

What _was _Oakshade thinking?

As his head swung in her direction, Frozenpaw ducked into the shadows, but she could see that he was holding a squirrel. That pricked even more thought within her. What in StarClan's name...?

He bolted quickly across the Thunderpath, squirrel in jaws, and skidded to a halt on ShadowClan territory.

Now, Frozenpaw had not seen anything of ShadowClan since the last Gathering, the last peaceful uneventful Gathering. But she had heard from older Clanmates that they were not the nicest cats all the time. And now Oakshade had trespassed into their territory. Even from quite a distance off, and through shadow, Frozenpaw could see as he dropped the dead squirrel, rolled it farther into the territory, and dashed back over the border. Frozenpaw watched with wide eyes as he vanished into ThunderClan territory, as if he had done nothing at all.

_Why would he do such a thing? _asked Frozenpaw within her mind. _Should I tell the Clan? _

Suddenly, two green eyes looked her way, narrowing at her white fur. Oakshade had noticed she was there.

She decided against it.

**What is Oakshade trying to do? What will Frozenpaw do about it? When will I stop asking these questions and ask you to review? Now! Review guys! Hope you liked the chapter! **

**~Destiny**


	18. Chapter 17- Leading and Training

**Hi, my lovelies! I got some news for you! If you read not read my profile, then you should all know that there will be a Trapped in Ice sequel. I know, I know I've only made it about three-fourths of the way through PART ONE, but, I had this one idea for the end that I couldn't just have be without a sequel. Read my profile and it'll give you a little more info on that.**

**I don't want to rush through this story thing I have an idea for. I needed to put something before it. I have no clue for Frozenpaw right now, so you're getting a filler chapter from Lionpaw's point of view. I don't really like the idea of it, especially since the rest of this is going to be strictly from Frozenpaw's POV, it seems out of place, so forgive me if this sucks. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors.**

_Chapter 17_

"Lionpaw, wake up!"

He rolled over onto his side, groaning with exhaustion.

"Wake _up!" _

Lionpaw opened his eyes. Since Stoneclaw and Smallfeather became warriors, he had the entire den to himself. He thought that it would be relaxing with the silence, but lately, he had been waking up everyday before the sun came up; before the first birdsong sounded from the trees over head; before the dawn patrol went out, and it was awful.

He stumbled out of the apprentice den, barely able to keep his eyes open, and that said, he could barely see what was about. Suddenly, a paw whacked him on the back of his head, lights exploded in front of his vision, and he could see clearly through the dark.

"I said wake up," Oakshade snarled.

Lionpaw stood, blinking and looked at his father. The tabby, had his teeth showing, and was sitting in what Lionpaw thought of as his Classic Impatient Position, sitting with all paws placed closely together, and his tail tightly wrapped around his foreleg ankles. Lionpaw copied the pose and smiled painfully. "I'm up." The statement came out with a crack in his voice, and he cleared his throat.

"Yes, finally," Oakshade growled. "This happens everyday, Lionpaw. You know very well that I wake you to go train, so why is it that each time you can't stay awake?"

"I don't know," hissed Lionpaw. "Maybe it's because it's still dark out. Morning hasn't exactly come yet."

The dark brown tabby sighed. "Lionpaw, don't you want to be a good warrior?"

The words hurt. Lionpaw was doing well. He didn't need extra training. "Of course. And Mousewhsiper is doing just fine training me. You were made Smallfeather's apprentice, not mine. I was a great warrior from the begging."

"And who got you there?" Oakshade asked, a knowingly look on his face. "Who was the cat that started your training early to make you an exceptional fighter as an apprentice?"

"You did," he muttered.

"That's right," laughed Oakshade. "You should learn to appreciate me more. I know what I'm doing. I was the one that gave you the dream of being Clan leader. I know, everyone has it, but at least you actually have a chance."

He started heading for the bramble tunnel leading to the ravine. Lionpaw followed behind him. In silence, they padded through the forest, not even daring to look at each other. Lionpaw held back a growl and thought, _He's right. I should be grateful that I have him. He's a wonderful warrior, who is teaching me well. One day I will as good as he is, teaching my son to be the best warrior ever, just like me. _

"Father," he began. He tried not to flinch as Oakshade's intense green eyes. "Uh...don't you want to be Clan leader?"

He didn't respond for a moment. "I can't see myself leading a Clan. Cats would expect me to lead like Flickerstar. I am nothing like him. Tell me, how would you lead the Clan?"

Lionpaw brightened. He had always wanted to be asked that question, and now Oakshade was. "Well, I'd start by making Stoneclaw my deputy. He's a great fighter and is really motivated. Those are good qualities, right?"

Oakshade nodded. "But how would you _lead?" _

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

"I mean exactly what I ask. How will you lead the Clan?"

"Nobly?" Lionpaw asked. When Oakshade just stared. He went on. "Well, uh, once Stoneclaw is my deputy, I guess I'd just...lead the...I don't know how to explain it." Lionpaw started feeling bummed. He had been excited to answer that question, but never thought about what to say.

"Let's start with kits," Oakshade said, "and work our way up from there. What would you change about that?"

"Change?" Lionpaw asked. He frowned. What would he need to change about the Clan?

"Yes. Is there anything that you'd like to change about the nursery, the kits, anything?"

Lionpaw thought for a moment. "Well, I know I didn't like having to wait six moons to become an apprentice. Even with you training me. So I guess I'd reduce the number of moons required before kits can be apprenticed...And we'd still need warriors, especially in leafbare. So...queens would continue on with their duties while raising their kits."

"Good," Oakshade rumbled, delight edging his voice. "Shall we move up a notch, to the apprentices?"

Lionpaw shrugged. He felt weird about changing Clan ways but at least he understood what his father was trying to ask him. "Okay, well, the leader would always have one, to keep up their skill of mentoring. But to find out which one is the strongest, the kits becoming apprentices will battle each other, and the victor is the cat I will mentor."

Oakshade nodded. "Testing their skills early on. That's a great idea to see if they're meant for Clanlife. How about later on towards the end of their training?"

"Well their skills won't be determined by an assessment. They hunt and battle each day right? But I don't know what I would put in place of it."

"I have a suggestion," purred Oakshade, squinting his eyes. "Why not we put them in a real battle, against another Clan? That way it'd put them in a life or death situation, where only the strong make it out alive."

Lionpaw widened his eyes. "Are battles really like that?" he asked.

Oakshade hesitated. "Yes," he said. "In fact, why don't we test that idea? You have proven your skills well enough to be a warrior. Will you stand two more moons of this unneeded training?"

Lionpaw thought for a moment. It was a while yet before his final assessment, and he was often conplimented by the Clan, praised for his amazing work. And he himself felt ready. With a determined expressions, firmly he nodded at his father.

The tabby grinned. "Well, one day you might find yourself in a skirmish with ShadowClan...or any Clan really. In fact, really soon. You never know."

He dipped his head, looking around. "Wait a minute. This isn't the way to the sandy hollow," he noticed. "Father, where are we going?"

"We're trying something new today," he replied almost immediately, like he was expecting Lionpaw to ask. "Did Mousewhsiper ever teach you to fight from tree branches?"

"No...I didn't think we would need to learn something like that," Lionpaw murmured. "Isn't that dangerous? What if I fall?"

That's when Oakshade stopped. As quick as lightning, he turned towards Lionpaw and snapped at the air an inch from his nose. "What did I tell you?" he snarled, "about getting hurt?"

Lionpaw stumbled back. "If I get hurt I am weak, and the weak-"

"Go to the medicine cats!" yowled Oakshade, cutting him off. "The medicine cats are cowards, too afraid to accept the way of a warrior. I want you to stay away from those cats. They are useless."

"Frozenpaw-"

"Isn't worth your time," he snarled. "Remember what I told you when you were kit. That that mouse-brain is better off with a hungry fox or badger than becoming a warrior."

"Well she's a medicine cat," muttered Lionpaw.

"Good for her then. She finally found the one place a weak cat like her actually belongs," Oakshade growled. "You do agree with me." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, well...yes, I do."

He smiled slightly and continued walking. "Good. Now that we've cleared up her for the _millionth time, _back to the tree-fighting. This will also help you become a warrior faster. Once the Clan sees how well you learn things and all of the tactics you know, they cannot refuse to make you a warrior."

"Why are doing this for me, father?" Lionpaw asked.

The dark brown tabby halted his walking again, looking off into the distance. "Oh, my son. I knew from the moment I saw you that you were going to be the cat to make me proud. You will accomplish great things, and you already have now. Do you know how great it feels to have a son so magnificent? You just want to do all for them." He sighed and resumed his walk once again.

Lionpaw didn't say anything the rest of the way. Once they got to this one place in the territory, with trees baring low branches and thick truncks, Oakshade stopped. "This is where we will begin. I want to warn you, tree-fighting will tire you out, so be aware of fatigue when Mousewhisper takes you out today." He didn't wait for Lionpaw to reply. "Okay, so I know Mousewhisper has taught you to climb trees back towards the beginning of your training. The first thing I want you to do, is get to the first branch."

Lionpaw obeyed, grasping firmly onto the bark of a large tree and pushed himself up to the first limb. Oakshade ran, leapt, and gripped the same branch before hauling himself up.

"We'll start low," he meowed. "Now, it's clear you don't have much space to move around, so what will be your first attack?"

Lionpaw thought for a moment. That's when Oakshade's paw, lashed out and caught him over the scruff.

"You won't have this much time to think during battle. Quick, move!"

Lionpaw didn't know what exactly the right maneuver would be, so we just copied his father's move and clawed him over the scruff. But unlike Oakshade, Lionpaw couldn't dig his paw deep enough into the fur, because Oakshade reared up, and twisted towards the trunk, where he again, leapt to another branch.

"You're going to have to do better than that," he snarled. "Don't just stand there, attack me!"

As he bunched his muscles to leap another branch, Lionpaw scrambled to get a hold on the trunk. Oakshade went higher and higher, tree branch to tree branch, while Lionpaw only managed to move up about a mouse length. He was trying to move to quickly, and couldn't manage to get a good grip on the bark.

"This won't win you a battle against ShadowClan!" yowled Oakshade from high up.

"Neither will running," hissed Lionpaw. "Come down here and fight me, then maybe you'll accomplish something!"

After many heartbeats of quiet, leaves shook on their trees as his father came down. His green eyes were clear through the night-shadows. They blazed with wrath. "What did you say to me?" came the menacing growl.

"Come an get me."

Oakshade shot out of the shadows, claws sinking into Lionpaw's fur. He grunted in agony as he tried to stay in balance. As his father leapt away on the other end of the tree branch, Lionpaw unsheathed his claws, ready for a fight. When he turned, he saw that Oakshade was running for him, teeth bared. Lionpaw had no where to go, so he rushed forward the same.

As the two cats collided, Lionpaw felt stabbing pain in his side. Bending so Oakshade lost his grip, he lunged, pushing his paws deep into the flank of his father. Now that the tabby was pinned, he could really give him some wounds.

"If you're hurt, you are weak and the weak..."

"Go to the medicine cats," Oakshade finished. "Well not me." He launched himself up, throwing off Lionpaw and getting the upper hand. Lionpaw staggered half way off the limb of the tree, but before he could regain his footing. Oakshade lunged, and his claws went deep into Lionpaw's neck as he was shoved away.

With a deep _thud, _he hit the ground, and dull, yet spreading pain coursed across his entire body. His wounds throbbed, and his head ached. The branch was low, but it took all Lionpaw's remaining energy to keep his eyes open. As lights dotted his view, he watched as Oakshade atop the branch settled into his Classic Impatient Position.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, showing no sign of emotion. "Or are you a warrior?"

"I...I am a warrior," Lionpaw whispered before he drifted off into blackness.

**I hate Lionpaw as much as you do, but Oakshade is one ruthless fox-heart. I don't pity Lionpaw though, he still is agreeing with his father that Frozenpaw is useless. NO ONE MESSES WITH MY FROZENPAW! *explodes***

***Ahem* anyway, Lionpaw isn't completely guilty when you look at it. He's just being pulled onto the dark side. What did you think of this chapter? Review, please!**

**~Destiny **


	19. Chapter 18- A bitter Gathering

**Thanks for the reviews guys! This chapter was originally going to be the last one, but I didn't want to rush through to quick. So hear you go. We're back to Frozenpaw. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. **

Frozenpaw watched as Flickerstar climbed the Highrock. It was a full moon that night, and time for another Gathering. The finder leader stood, his back to the sun, so through his black silhouette, amber eyes blazed.

"Hailblaze," she said to her mentor, who was relaxing beside her. "Are we going to the Gathering tonight?"

"I'm not sure," he admitted. He looked curiously up at Flickerstar.

"As you all know, the time has come for another Gathering. Beetletooth, Talonfoot, Whitefur, Stormshade, Wolfleap, Leafpelt, Graydawn, Oakshade, Lionpaw, Stoneclaw, Icyclaws, Branchtail and Mousewhisper are going." He paused. "And of course the medicine cats. We better head out now, before the night grows short." With his last few words, he hopped off the Highrock and began leading ThunderClan off.

Frozenpaw jumped up with Hailblaze and bounded forward after them. She was thrilled to be going, especially since it was so boring at camp. The most entertaining thing to do was to watch grass grow.

"Aww," whined Mumblekit as Frozenpaw passed the nursery. "Mama, why can't we go to the Gatherings?"

Dusksky smiled. "Because you have to be apprentices before you can. When you're six moons, then you'll get to go along with the Clan."

Frozenpaw noticed Lionpaw look over his shoulder. She narrowed her eyes when an alarmed expression traveled over his gaze.

Lionpaw had been acting strange lately. Since about a half moon ago, he seemed so out of place, and more hostile than usual. It started at around dawn when Oakshade led him into camp. He was trying not to limp, but the agony on his face unmasked what he was really thinking. She was about to ask him about it, but he snapped at her and continued walking.

That wasn't the only time. When someone even mentioned a medicine cat, his face would twist in disgust. Frozenpaw and Hailblaze were heading out into the territory to collect some tansy a few days later, and they passed him sharing a mouse with his mentor. He had stopped his eating and growled just loud enough for Frozenpaw to hear.

She knew that Oakshade was bad-mouthing about them, but she never thought that he would actually turn against her and Hailblaze. He treated them like they were rogues or from a whole new Clan. She didn't want to believe she had lost him completely to the side of her life she wanted more of.

Now as Frozenpaw thought about, climbing the ravine, it led her to her memory of Oakshade leaving the squirrel in ShadowClan territory. She had not said anything about it, nor had Oakshade, but now they were going to a Gathering. Should she tell Hailblaze?

"Hey, keep up," Hailblaze called, and Frozenpaw realized she had fallen behind. She ran up beside him. She bumped slightly into Stoneclaw, and the gray tom snarled at her. Hailblaze glared intensely at him, until he looked away.

Frozenpaw stared at Stoneclaw, as he ran forward. She noticed how uneasy his steps were. She then looked at Hailblaze. He was a good cat, he knew what was right, when it was right. Telling him would be the best thing to do.

"Uh," she began. "I think-"

She was cut off when she stepped over a sharp twig. "Fox dung," she hissed.

Hailblaze smiled in amusement. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she grunted. "But what I wanted to say-"

"It'll have to wait," Hailblaze said. "We're here."

Frozenpaw looked up. Fourtrees was in close view. She sighed and padded forward, following the rest if the Clan into the clearing. They were the second Clan there, after RiverClan. Yellowstar sat on the Great Rock expectantly and dipped her head at Flickerstar as he jumped on the rock.

WindClan came soon after ThunderClan filed into the clearing. Runningstar leapt onto the Great Rock, but Frozenpaw noticed that he was slow. _He must be getting older. _

Many moments passed, and it seemed like ages before anyone said something. It was a RiverClan cat that spoke up. "Where is ShadowClan? It isn't like Breezestar to be late."

Many cats murmured in agreement. Runningstar flicked his tail. "That doesn't matter. We should just begin. It is almost moonhigh already. If ShadowClan didn't want to come it's their problem."

Yellowstar nodded. "Very well," she meowed. "RiverClan-"

"Hold it," a voice snarled. Everyone turned to a bush across from the Great Rock. Breezestar emerged from the leaves, followed by the cats of his Clan. "I hope you weren't planning on starting without us, Yellowstar."

"Maybe I wouldn't have if you were on time," she replied curtly.

Breezestar grinned in half-amusement, half suspicsion. "Our Clan had something to discuss before we could come. I apologize for taking so long with that. But it was an...important matter." He jumped on the Highrock.

Frozenpaw looked over him. He was acting strange, and she began to wonder if it had anything to do with Oakshade.

"You may continue, Yellowstar," Flickerstar said, casting a sideways glance at Breezestar.

"RiverClan is doing well. We are preparing for the season of leaf-fall coming soon, so we have stocked up fish prey. Training is going perfectly for all our apprentices, and a new kit was born." She yawned. "That would be all. Runningstar?"

The tabby tom dipped his head. "Thanks for that report. WindClan is also thriving. Though we have no new apprentices or warriors, the Clan is healthy. Unfortunately, our medicine cat Goldenwillow passed away a couple nights ago. But Squirrelfur, her apprentice was trained well and will serve us for many moons."

"Squirrelfur! Squirrelfur!" shouted the Clans. Frozenpaw was shocked to hear that Goldenwillow was dead and Hailblaze was a little shaken too.

"She will live on through memory," she heard him whisper.

_Great, now I'll have to hear her bragging about it, _thought Frozenpaw, as the pale gray she-cat stood for the rest of the Clan to see.

"Flickerstar?" Runningstar beckoned, flicking his tail to the ThunderClan leader.

"ThunderClan has nothing new to report, other than the successful training of our apprentice, Lionpaw, and the abundance of prey in our territory."

"Really? In _your _territory?" snarled Breezestar. Frozenpaw noticed how his claws unsheated and clicked onto the Great Rock. Flickerstar too saw his aggression.

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" he questioned, narrowing his eyes at the gray tabby.

"Don't play dumb with my Clan, Flickerstar. It's so classic!" Breezestar yowled. "You, and your frog-brained Clan were hunting in our territory! Don't even try to deny it!"

Frozenpaw gaped and looked side to side. She finally caught sight of Oakshade looking smug at the edge of the clearing. _You meant for this to..._

Her thoughts were abruptly cut short when he looked her way. His conceited grin faded when he saw her and his eyes shone with a menacing light. Frozenpaw flinched and quickly looked away.

"My Clan did no such thing!" growled Flickerstar. "And I can promise on StarClan that we never set foot in your putrid territory!"

"So you are betraying your honor to StarClan, now?" hissed Breezestar. "There were several pieces of evidence in our territory."

"I'd like to hear them," Flickerstar spat.

Yellowstar and Runningstar looked very uncomfortable. The WindClan leader stood between the two arguing cats. "This is not the place to settle your bickering. StarClan is getting angry."

"I'm sorry, but this just couldn't wait. We are not going to sit and let this run past. We are going to face it here and now like real warriors," Breezestar hissed. "Unlike these cowards and traitors to the warrior code."

"I told you, we did nothing," Flickerstar hissed. "Tell us all the evidence you found!"

Breezestar sat. "Gladly. Warriors of the four Clans, I invite you all to listen to the proof that shows that Flickerstar's Clan are not only liars, but thieves. The first piece of evidence was a freshly killed squirrel with ThunderClan scent by the border. Not just any cat scent, _ThunderClan scent." _

"Why would you assume that we would just leave a squirrel there for you to find, if we even had hunted in your territory?"

"I don't know, you're the ones who did it," Breezestar said sarcastically. "Proof doesn't lie. Shall I go on?"

_There's more? _Frozenpaw wondered. _How long has Oakshade been doing this? _

"We also found a piece of fur that didn't match any cat from my Clan, again at the ThunderClan border. Later, a mouse was lying on the Thunderpath. I asked if any of my warriors had hunted a mouse there, and all of them refused. There was much more than that, Flickerstar, but that alone is enough to accuse you."

Flickerstar's look of ire was gone and now was replaced with shock. Both Yellowstar and Runningstar were facing him now, teeth bared.

"This is unlike you," Yellowstar hissed. "RiverClan is leaving. We want no part in this."

"WindClan is right behind you," Runningstar said, jumping up the Great Rock.

As both Clans dispersed, Breezestar turned back on Flickerstar. "Knowing this, there is no need to hide our plans. We _will _attack, Flickerstar, and it will be soon. It might even be tomorrow. I hope you are prepared."

"Look Breezestar. Evidence doesn't lie. But I can assure you that I knew nothing of this, and I bet most of my Clan didn't either."

"Even so, your Clan needs to be taught a lesson," Breezestar snarled, bristling. "Go ahead, make your battle plan to defend, but we won't hold back. We can't stand to losing prey with leaf-fall right around the corner."

"But-"

"Are you asking for a fight now? In the light of StarClan?" Breezestar asked, bunching his muscles to spring off the Great Rock. When Flickerstar said nothing, he nodded, and jumped. "I thought not." And he was gone along with the rest of his Clan.

**Ooh! A battle is coming soon! What do you think will happen? Please review! **

**~Destiny**


	20. Chapter 19- Giving up but not giving in

**Yay! Thanks for the reviews! I can see how a lot of you are basically shouting through technology for Frozenpaw to stop being stubborn and cowardly of Oakshade and tell everyone that he sucks. We will see what happens, I guess...*starts feeling awkward* **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. **

Chapter Nineteen

ThunderClan was in a frenzy for the next few days. Many cats stood around, wondering when ShadowClan would attack, while others turned on Clanmate, accusing them of being the hunters that started it all. Flickerstar was in a state of silence and anger that Frozenpaw had never seen on him before, and she knew he must be wondering which cat in his Clan was mouse-brained enough to get them into the mess they were tangled up in.

Only Frozenpaw knew.

At least she thought so. With how close Oakshade and Lionpaw were getting, it wouldn't surprise her if they were each behind it. She was completely torn now, between telling anyone or just letting the battle happen. It stung to know that when she wanted so bad to be a warrior, she was acting like a coward, fearing her own Clanmate, but she had the right to be afraid right? After all, Oakshade would look at her every time the matter came up, silently telling her that if she did anything to blow his secret, she would pay a price. She knew that eventually the Clan would start to notice, which left her with nightmares each night.

And then there was Lionpaw. Frozenpaw wanted so badly to know if he was involved at all with the hunting, but when she studied him the night of the Gathering, he too seemed a little shaken along with the rest of the Clan. It was true, him and Oakshade were spending more time together in the mornings, training hard. It wouldn't surprise her if he was part of the whole scheme. And he was trying desperately hard not to be within ten fox-lengths of the medicine cats, so it wouldn't surprise her. But why?

Frozenpaw padded through camp. Her legs were getting cramped up from sitting and preparing healing herbs all day, so she needed to take a walk around. It bothered her how timorous her Clan was acting, but even more that she was that way too. She passed cat after cat, listening to what they had to say over the matter.

"Breezetstar is out of his mind. We have plenty of prey here. Why would we need to hunt in a territory as depressing and revolting as there's?" Whitefur asked as she shared tongues with Rabbitfoot.

She walked by Nightwhisker pacing. He fretted to Graydawn, who watched him. "What if there is some traitor in the Clan, who is determined on starting a war between the forest?"

But the one comment that stopped Frozenpaw in her tracks, was Snowshine's. "If I had any guess on the subject, it'd had to be on Hailblaze. You know how quiet and secretive he is."

She was speaking to Dusksky, who shrugged in response. Frozenpaw stood behind Snowshine, so she couldn't see her, but Dusksky did, and she widened her eyes.

"Oh no, Snowshine," she said, half-laughing. "Next time you should look around to see who's there before speaking. I should get back to my kits." And she was gone.

Snowshine whirled. When she saw Frozenpaw she grunted. "Oh, it's you. Guess you heard what I said about your mentor, huh?"

Frozenpaw gave her a sarcastic grin. "I did."

Her mother just gave her a look.

"You know what? I don't even know why I think about trying," Frozenpaw mumbled. "You'll always be blind to who you really are. Just like Oakshade. No one wonder you two are mates. I always wondered what you saw in each other that was strong enough to poison the other into falling in love with." She paused. "I guess you just saw your reflection."

"Wow," Snowshine said, a slight purr to her voice. "I'd never thought I'd live to see the day my daughter would give up fighting."

"I'm not sacrificing the whole war," Frozenpaw whispered. "Just the battle with you. You aren't worth it. Hailblaze is innocent." She began walking off, but she halted. "By the way...it would have been nice to call someone mother, and mean it."

There was only a dead silence that followed her back to the medicine den.

* * *

"Will all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Frozenpaw stopped mixing the herbs she was working with when Flickerstar's call rang out. His voice was heavy with rage, and echoes across the ravine.

"I bet we all know what this is about," Hailblaze muttered, wiping his paws on the grass.

They both made their way for the Highrock, where many of cats were already gathered. Flickerstar looked ragged and overwhelmed, but anger dominated his appearance, as he began speaking.

"I have known Breezestar since we were apprentices and we met at a Gathering, and from then to now, he has always been a noble and truthful cat. I trust that he wouldn't start an unnecessary battle just to feel blood run under his paws. I don't know who in this Clan was hunting in their territory, but it's too late to find the guilty cat."

"Are you saying that you don't trust us?" Poppyfall challenged. "You actually believe that one of us was mouse-brained enough to hunt in another Clan's territory."

Flickerstar glared at her. "I never said that. But whoever did this obviously wanted the battle to happen. So, congratulations to the one who did!"

"What if was just a rogue that had been hanging out in the territory? A rogue could carry our scent," Badgerfang suggested.

"If it were a rogue, at least _we _should have scented it by now," yowled Stormshade. "It was definitely someone in the Clan." He looked from side to side, eying everyone. "I say we go check out the scene, and try to determine who did this."

"And what good will that do? It won't stop the battle. Even if we told Breezestar who in our Clan it was, it would be admitting that we were hunting on his land!" Smallfeather argued. She looked up at Flickerstar. "Why did you bring us out here? So we could turn on each other?"

Before Flickerstar could reply, Branchtail spoke. "That's the last thing we need, especially with a battle coming."

That's when the Clan broke out in yowls and arguments. They questioned and challenged each other, while also whispering about the cats right beside them. Frozenpaw ducked her head at the noise.

"_ENOUGH!" _the screech rang, silencing each cat. Frozenpaw turned her head to see Oakshade, standing at the front of the crowd, he sat with his tail over his paws, and his shoulders hunched. "All of you quiet. Forget this pointless bickering. What we need is a battle plan to defend the camp. You heard what Breezestar said. His Clan isn't holding back."

"Thank you, Oakshade," breathed Flickerstar. "I was going to get to that. What do you have in mind?"

Frozenpaw felt puzzled. _Why would he have a plan? He's the one who wanted the battle in the first place. _

"We have to set up cats from all angles of the camp," Oakshade explained. "Since the highest ground is the ravine, where ShadowClan will be coming in from, that's where we'll set up our first band of cats. They will fend off some of the ShadowClan cats there to drive them off, so there will be a smaller wave of warriors down in camp."

"Brilliant!" Flickerstar exclaimed, leaping down from Highrock.

Many cats pushed forward, where Oakshade was drawing claw marks into the dirt to explain the plan better. Warriors pushed passed Frozenpaw, and she had to sink her claws into the grass to keep balanced. Now she could no longer see Oakshade.

"The rest of us will be positioned down in camp in lines. One at the entrance, a second at the middle, and the third at the back. A few back up will be waiting in the dens if they're needed. I suggest those cats as the newer warriors, so they have a lot of energy in case they need to fight for a long while or fend off ShadowClan warriors that try to break in to the dens." Oakshade paused. "Any questions?"

"How will we know when ShadowClan is coming?" asked Graydawn.

"Each day, a small patrol will be walking in the territory somewhere near the Thunderpath. When they scent ShadowClan, they run back and give us a signal. Those cats will be at the top of the ravine," Oakshade said. "Wolfleap will lead that patrol with...Badgerfang, Talonfoot and Leafpelt."

Flickerstar spoke, sounding pleased for the first time in several days. "That's a great plan Oakshade! Let's assign the positons."

As they got to work, Frozenpaw looked at her paws. What was Oakshade doing? It was an amazing plan, that ThunderClan was sure to win with. But didn't he _want _the fight? How does that work?

"You okay?" asked Hailblaze.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied. She began heading for the medicine den. "Come on, we have a lot of work to do."

**That was a filler for you. I think the battle will be next chapter. I get the feeling I'm coming to the end of the story even though I'm just starting. :) Review please! And you'll get the next chapter!**

**~Destiny**


	21. Chapter 20- The Battle

**Destiny here, giving you the next amazing chapter of Trapped in Ice. Frick. You guys all probably hate me for leaving you with no battle for a few days, and having Frozenpaw not saying anything. Well, let me tell you now, that things will be more interesting in the future because of her keeping her mouth shut, so please enjoy this chapter! The amazing battle chapter. Finally, some real violence! Yay! JK. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. **

Chapter Twenty

The battle plans were taken into full swing two days later.

Wolfleap led his patrol out into the territory before dawn, and returned almost immediately, sounding the signal. Cats sprung from their nests and got into position. While the patrol stayed up on top the ravine, the three lines of cats took place throughout camp. Poppyfall, Flickerstar, Icyclaws, Beetletooth and Snowshine took up the first line. In the second were Mousewhisper, Talonfoot, Stoneclaw, Oakshade and Lionpaw. Many of the younger warriors were angered that Lionpaw wasn't a den cat, but Oakshade had silenced them with his green glare. He wanted his son in the middle of the fight. The third line was made up of Branchtail, Badgerfang, Whitefur, Graydawn and Rabbitfoot. And the cats protecting the dens were Smallfeather, Stormshade, Nightwhisker and Dusksky.

Hailblaze and Frozenpaw stood ready at the medicine den, prepared with all remedies for scratches and cuts they could find. Flickerstar made it clear. They weren't losing the battle. They weren't losing any cats. ShadowClan didn't know who they were messing with.

Only minutes after ThunderClan took position, a battle cry was yowled. Frozenpaw stuck her head out the medicine den to watch, and so did Hailblaze. After heartbeats, ShadowClan started pouring into the camp, led by Breezestar. The first line of cats rushed forward. Flickerstar immediately clashed with Breezestar, aiming blows at his shoulders and flank. The second line came up next, all lunging for a warrior before they could understarnd what was happening. Frozenpaw watched as Oakshade went for the ShadowClan deputy, Streamtail and Lionpaw leaped for a massive gray tom. The third line then sprung into action, while the rest of ShadowClan was being held up by the first two lines.

Frozenpaw's paws started to itch as she watched claws connecting with fur and blood being spilled. Her heart raced, she felt it in her throat, but it wasn't fear for her Clanmates. It was longing. She _belonged _out there, and the battlefield was calling her name. She could almost feel the flesh ripping under her claws, as if the ground beneath her paws was really a ShadowClan enemy. She made a soft whimpering sound.

"Frozenpaw..." Hailblaze said. "What are you thinking?"

She didn't reply, she just continued watching the fight. Branchtail tore at a warrior's ear. Wolfleap's patrol raced down and joined the battle.

"Look, I know that you must be feeling confident that you could face ShadowClan, but they're fighting fiercely out there. They're stronger than you think, Frozenpaw."

"Yeah," she whispered. "Well so am I."

Before Hailblaze could respond, she charged outside, yowling. A ShadowClan warrior shoved Leafpelt away. Frozenpaw lunged for the warrior, and sank her teeth deep into his shoulder. He screeched in pain, and tried shaking her off, but she wouldn't budge. Her claws ripped at his fur, and she felt blood wash over her paws. The warrior collapsed, and away jumped off of him. He managed to stand but instead of attacking, turned tail and fled.

"Frozenpaw?" Leafpelt asked. She turned, and nodded. "How...?"

She smiled deviously and turned, racing to find a new cat to fight.

A cat crashed into her, a ShadowClan apprentice. Frozenpaw's first reaction was to claw at the cat. The apprentice yowled and she twisted away, backing up and crouching, about to spring. Frozenpaw copied her position and snarled.

"I sent one of your warriors fleeing. You better run."

The apprentice bared her teeth. "I'm not a coward!" Swift as a snake, she lashed out a paw, but it wasn't quick enough. Frozenpaw seized the paw in her teeth and yanked the apprentice forward. Once she was close enough, Frozenpaw lunged, sinking her teeth into her scruff.

The ShadowClan cat yowled and tried pulling away. Frozenpaw spat her out, and she fell on the grass, gasping. Frozenpaw leaned down to the apprentice's ear and whispered. "I told you to run. Always listen to the medicine cats."

The apprentice jerked away, fear in her eyes and vanished into the fight. Frozenpaw threw back her head and laughed. _So this is what it's really like to be a warrior! Winning all your battles! If only they believed I could do it! If only Lionpaw hadn't gotten in the way. _

Suddenly, a paw smacked her on the side of her head. Frozenpaw reeled, spots dappling her vision. When it cleared, she saw Oakshade. His flank was racked with scratches, but he still looked fierce enough to fight all day.

"You," he snarled. "What are you doing on the battlefield? You should be in your den! This is no place for weak cats like you!"

"Weak?" she hissed. "I just fought against two cats, and both of them I dominated. You call that weak? You traitor!"

"Traitor?" Oakshade demanded. "I'm no traitor. This battle came for a reason, I'll make sure I'll end it the way I want it. ThunderClan will be the strongest Clan in the forest as soon as Lionpaw is leader."

"Leader?" Frozenpaw asked. "He's not even a warrior!" Her claws tore at the grass. "You betrayed your Clan starting this battle! Eventually, I will tell Flickerstar that _you_ were the one who was hunting gin ShadowClan territory!"

"Like he'd believe you. He doesn't even know your name. No one in this Clan does accept Hailblaze, your fellow soft medicine cat. This is a warrior's place. Go running back to your den before you hurt yourself any more than you already have."

She looked over her shoulder. Her white fur was caked with blood. She looked back at the dark brown tabby and retorted. "It isn't my blood mouse-brain. But you can't say the same. This isn't just a warrior's battle. It's for the rest of ThunderClan too. It's honor."

"Honor? Ha! Than you shouldn't be a part of it," Oakshade growled.

Frozenpaw felt rage surge through her. Her claws unrooted from the ground and just about buried into Oakshade's body, but every controlled piece in her veins kept her from doing soon, and she let him scurry off and feel amazing about himself. _One day, _she vowed, _you will regret everything. _

"Frozenpaw!"

She spun around. Hailblaze was running towards her. "What?"

"I need your help! Mousewhisper is injured badly, and facts are starting to pour into my den! We're losing, Frozenpaw!"

_Losing? _she thought. _But I was doing so well. I want to continue! I need to fight! _But instead of arguing, she nodded and they both dashed back to the den.

When they broke into the den, Frozenpaw's jaw dropped. Several cats were lying in nests, wounded. Out of the group she recognized Whitefur, Talonfoot, Graydawn, Poppyfall and Wolfleap. But the number of them wasn't even the worst thing. Mousewhisper lay in a pool of her own blood, a wound in her neck. Hailblaze rushed to her, grapped some cobweb and got to work.

"Help the others!" he shouted.

Frozenpaw obeyed, grapping what was left of the cobweb and crouched beside Whitefur, who had a deep bite mark in her shoulder. She ran from cat to cat, trying to distribute the cobweb evenly while still having some left over. Her heart beat faster than it did when she was out fighting, but she tried to ignore it. _As soon as your done, go back out and fight. Your Clan needs you. _

They needed her.

She stopped what she was doing and watched Hailblaze for a few seconds, then she turned her head to look over her shoulder at the battle.

But where?

Wolfleap moaned, reminding her that she needed to continue. She gave him some marigold and wrapped his wound in cobweb before backing away. She subtlety padded for the den entrance, and she looked outside.

The feeling that urged her to fight was a stabbing pain her chest. It made her paws itch, her heat race, her ears heat up. Watching would cause her claws to unsheathe, marking the ground with her anger. In the light of dawn, her teeth would glint as her lip pulled back. She craved the fight, she needed to heal. The edge of her vision blurred with tears, it almost hurt not to fight.

That's when the cry rang out, silencing the world.

Frozenpaw rushed out, not even thinking about anything, except the horror in that cry. All warriors had stopped their fighting to look at what happened. Even Stoneclaw, who was being pinned by a black she-cat had stopped struggling to see what was going on.

Frozenpaw pushed to the front of a Gathering crowd, ignoring the hisses of annoyance from other cats.

Breezestar held Flickerstar's throat in his jaws. Blood dripped to the floor from under his lip. Her faced a tabby cat with burning yellow eyes and long, blood-stained claws.

Lionpaw.

"I will kill you Breezestar," he snarled. "Let go of my leader!"

Over Flickerstar's fur, the ShadowClan leader replied, "And you will stop me? An apprentice? You warriors hunted in our territory! Many times. This will not go unpunished. Your leader will lose a life, and I will make it certain that you will too if you don't step down now."

Frozenpaw just gazed wide-eyed at Lionpaw as he crouched, frozen, eyes blazing. Behind him, Oakshade stood, the slightest of a smug smile over his lips.

Breezestar dropped Flickerstar, who landed with a dull _thud. _Then, he held a paw over his neck, claws extended.

Frozenpaw braced. Lionpaw was doing nothing, and Breezestar was about to kill Flickerstar. If she just stood there, he would lose a life, and ShadowClan would win.

_...it's about belong there for your Clanmates when they need you, however they need you. Somedays they'll__ need a fighter or a hunter, but sometimes, they'll just need a shoulder to lean on. _

Today, they needed a fighter.

The ThunderClan cat leaped, claws outstretched. In slow motion, they dug into Breezestar, and he was shoved several tail-lengths away from Flickerstar, and he was pinned firmly to the ground.

Frozenpaw felt shock in her veins.

The ThunderClan cat wasn't her.

Lionpaw had Breezestar pinned to the grass, and he snarled loudly, a mouse-length from his face. Just loud enough for the entire crown to hear, he said, "Yes an apprentice will stop you!"

Breezestar struggled, but Lionpaw threw a blow to his face. "Don't you ever think about messing with ThunderClan again! Because then, you'll have to face me. Understood?"

To Frozenpaw's surprise, Breezestar nodded.

"Good," Lionpaw released him. "Now go back to your territory. We never touched your prey."

ShadowClan quickly fled. The apprentice that Frozenpaw had fought scampered around the camp before disappearing through the bramble tunnel. Before everyone knew it, ThunderClan were alone, in the dawn light.

Oakshade padded to Lionpaw. "That's my son."

Snowshine joined them. "Great StarClan! That was amazing! You're the best warrior ever!"

ThunderClan started gathering around the light brown tabby, singing their praise. Frozenpaw remained in the exact same position, awe-struck. Her brother, had won them the battle. The battle that was her fight to win.

Flickerstar struggled to his paws. His ginger fur was red with blood, but he was still strong. He staggered to where Lionpaw stood. "You...you saved me," he murmured. "Lionpaw, I always knew you were a magnificent cat, but this is truly glorious. Thank you."

"Don't mention it," he responded, flicking his tail. "I was only defending my Clan."

"You did more than that," Oakshade laughed. "You won the battle!"

"Not bad for an apprentice," Icyclaws meowed.

ThunderClan continued yowling their laudation, some cheering, some just placing their tail over Lionpaw's shoulder. Frozenpaw watched, anger ripping at her limbs.

_That should be me! _she thought, furious.

"Flickerstar! Get to my den!" Hailblaze's voice sounded as he ran up.

The ginger tom nodded. "As you wish," he said. But before he followed, he looked back at Lionpaw. "I think ThunderClan is getting a new warrior soon. Come on, Hailblaze."

They walked past Frozenpaw. She slowly rose from her crouch and continued watching the crowd of warriors. The slightest glint of green flashed her way as Oakshade shot her stare. It was an unspoken communication that echoed in her mind. _I told you so. _

**Guys, just be honest with me. How much do you hate me? On a scale of one to ten, ten being the most passionate of all hate, how much do you loathe me right now? I've been getting plenty of reviews that say how much you guys can't stand how the story's going, so just go on and let it all out, make me feel ashamed of how bad I'm treating Frozenpaw. Just do it in a review. Single file please.**

**~Destiny (the meanest writer ever)**


	22. Chapter 21- Releasing

**Thanks for the reviews, even though I bet a lot of you hate me for being the meanest author ever, and killing your love for this story. Well, this chapter should be interesting. And very fun to read! Because it was fun to write. I was on a roll! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. **

Chapter Twenty-One

"I, Flickerstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon all of my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and though he is young, I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." The ginger tom turned to Lionpaw, his eyes gleaming with joy and excitement. "Lionpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Frozenpaw seethed in anger as her brother nodded vigorously. "I do!" he exclaimed, filling the camp with his yowl of happiness.

Flickerstar raised his head to the sky. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Lionpaw, from this moment on, you are Lionfire. StarClan honors you for your strength and nobility, and welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

He touched his muzzle to the light brown tom's forehead, and in return, the new warrior licked his shoulder. As they pulled apart, the Clan cheered.

"Lionfire! Lionfire! Lionfire!"

Everyone except Frozenpaw. She should have been up there with him, or better yet, she should've been up there alone. The battle was hers to win, and if she were a warrior, she would be up there, basking in the glory that was stolen from her by that light tabby tom she didn't even recognize anymore.

Lionfire jumped down from Highrock. Snowshine and Oakshade ran up to greet him. They licked his neck fur as if he were a kit, congratulating him for his amazing job. Stoneclaw was the next to praise him.

"Next time you're up there, you'll be deputy," he said.

The Clan all came up, murmuring their congrats to Lionfire. Frozenpaw felt like the only one saying absolutely nothing, the only one not happy to any degree about it, because she was. She deserved to be a warrior, and the only reason she wasn't was because Lionfire was bigger than her. It wasn't her fault that she was the smaller kit, but she sure felt like it was.

Slowly, warriors dispersed, returning to their regular duties. Oakshade and Snowshine stood beside Lionfire still, looking as if he had defeated ten badgers single-pawed.

"At last, my kit is a warrior," Snowshine purred. Frozenpaw didn't mind that she hadn't said, "one of my kits," or something like that. She was bothered with how big of a deal it seemed to have become overnight.

Oakshade looked more satisfied than pleased when he spoke. "You did amazing. This is how apprentices should become warriors, through proving their strength in battle. And you are the strongest of all of them."

Frozenpaw gawked. _That's _why they had the battle? All the blood spilled just so her brother could sleep in a different den? She dug her claws into the ground and snarled when one of her claws caught on a weed. She yanked it out with a burst of stinging pain in her paw, then she glared at Oakshade. _Mousewhisper's dying because of you. _

"Come on," Oakshade said. "Let's go out hunting, and tonight before your vigil, we feats in celebration of your warrior name."

All three cats went out. Snowshine didn't even look her way and Oakshade didn't gloat. They really were over her.

She padded into the medicine den, still hot with fury. Hailblaze looked up from where he sat and nodded. But the look in his eyes didn't match his greeting. He looked sympathetic, a sadness glimmering in his green gaze.

"Look, I know what you must be thinking, and I'm not upset with Lionfire. He's a good warrior and he deserved to earn his name." Frozenpaw's voice cracked on the last word.

"Quit lying to me," Hailblaze said softly. "You're upset."

Frozenpaw stared at the ground. "I know what you're going to say next. Don't give me that we-talked-about-this-earlier thing. Don't tell me you-just-need-to-clear-your-mind. I'll always feel this way. All I ever wanted was to be a warrior, but I couldn't. I couldn't because no thought I could, because I was left alone. She never showed it to me, but Snowshine couldn't have been more thrilled to get me away from her."

Hailblaze's voice was still gentle. "You don't need their support to be an amazing warrior. I saw you out in battle yesterday. You shined."

"I guess everyone is blind then, because no one else saw it. I sent a ShadowClan cat fleeing right before his eyes, and yet, Oakshade still told BMW to run back to my den like the weak cat I am."

"Frozenpaw, you don't know how strong you are," he replied. "You have had no training and you are already blessed with an amazing talent of fighting."

"You said being a warrior isn't about the fighting," she hissed.

"It isn't," Hailblaze admitted. "But you are still a strong cat who doesn't need anybody to be great. If you had decided to train as a warrior-"

"Oh, so this is my fault?" she demanded. "I was too naive and paranoid that I thought I could only be a warrior if cats wanted me to. That sounds fair. After all, I'm not even good enough as a medicine cat. Cats can't even remember my name."

Hailblaze made a face. "That isn't your responsibility that they are Mouse-brained enough to call you Frostpaw. They need to shape up and accept you." He lowered his voice. "And you need to go for it, no matter what anyone says."

Frozenpaw looked up. "You are the only one who actually supports me, Hailblaze. Thank you. Even my brother treats me like a rogue. Lately he's been acting like Oakshade. He thinks I'm weak. I remember how he used to be; my best friend. If only time could reverse itself."

Hailblaze smiled. "You've been like a daughter to me, Frozenpaw. Ironic considering I'm forbidden to have kits." His whiskers twitched. "As for Lionfire, I think he was just being influenced by Oakshade. It's so obvious he hunted in ShadowClan territory. That rotten tom is as manipulative as a predator. He could coax anyone to believe him. Luckily, us medicine cats are hard to convince."

Frozenpaw almost jumped. He knew?

"I think you should talk to Lionfire. Remember, you are a medicine cat, you deserve to be respected, just don't be rude. Maybe you two could go out on a walk and catch up, talk about how you're feeling with each other."

She shrugged. It couldn't hurt right? She dipped her head. "Okay. I'll wait until he gets back from hunting."

Hailblaze smiled. "Sounds good. Now could you help me out here already?"

* * *

Lionfire returned with a mouse and a starling hanging from his lips. Frozenpaw waited for him to place the prey on the fresh-kill pile and literally detach himself frommSnowshine and Oakshade, who were still exclaiming how proud they of him. Frozenpaw struggled not to let her jealously rise to far up inside her. She just needed to be friendly.

Her brother sat in the middle of the clearing and began grooming his thick tabby fur. Frozenpaw wondered how long it had been since they'd spoken last as she padded up, belly churning. When she was a few fox-lengths away, Lionfire looked up, glaring at her with his yellow eyes. He snarled.

She swallowed. "I have an idea. Let's stop pretending."

Lionfire's lips fell back over his teeth but he still maintained a guarded expression. "What do you mean?"

"Don't be like that," Frozenpaw murmured, padding a little closer. "Did Oakshade tell you us medicine are weak outcasts that are only useful for the cats that are sickly and hurt? Yes he did," she said before he could reply. "Let me tell you, getting hurt is part of life. You can't move through it unscathed."

"Typical medicine cat comment," he growled.

"Okay, let's take a different approach," she snarled. "What do you want?"

Lionfire hesitated. "I want...to be Clan leader. And I will be. Oakshade told me that things in Clanlife need to change, so that's what I'll have happen."

"What ideas did he have for the medicine cats?" she asked. "We're kinda sacred. Don't you believe in StarClan? Warriors won't be able to communicate with our ancestors just with a flick of the tail."

"Of course I believe in StarClan," Lionfire meowed. "I just..." He trailed off and Frozenpaw was surprised to see him smile. "Good point."

"Let's go for a walk. It's been a while."

"Sure."

They both left camp, and Frozenpaw was certain that Oakshade's eyes were on her each step of the way before disappearing through the bramble tunnel.

Lionfire turned to her. "Frozenpaw, I can't believe you decided not to be a warrior. I've only been one since sunhigh and it's already the greatest thing that has ever happened to me."

She tried not to unsheathe her claws. _You have to let him love it. It's all he's ever wanted. You can live without it, just let him love it. _There was a large part inside of her that would scream that she had to be part of it, but the other part forced the feeling down.

"Why did you decide to be a medicine cat? I thought you actually wanted to be Clan leader, just like me."

"Well," she hissed through gritted teeth, "fighting isn't for me. I can't really see myself up there on the Highrock. But you, belong there."

He smiled. "Thank you. Did I tell you that Stoneclaw will be my deputy? Maybe I did. Hey, and then you'll be my medicine cat. I'll lead, and you'll...pick leaves, I guess. Is that what you do?"

"Pretty much," she whispered. _How blind is he? Can't he see that it hurts listening to him? _

"Well, okay. While you're out picking leaves, this Clan will become the strongest in the forest," Lionfire beamed. "Oakshade suggested-"

"Oakshade, Oakshade, Oakshade. Can't you live your own life? Go ahead, you were a born legend from the beginning. Be the best cat this forest as ever seen while the rest of us have our hearts broken by your oblivion."

Lionfire blinked. "What?"

Frozenpaw halted when she realized what she had said. She looked up at Lionfire's face. His expression was hard will challenge. It was a what-did-you-just-say-to-me? look. Her heart dropped to her paws. He didn't see it, unless she threw it in his face.

Suddenly she burst out. "All I wanted was to be useful to the Clan!"

Lionfire looked taken aback. "You are. Medicine cats are very important."

"Oh really? So why have you been going on acting like we only exist for the weak cats? While you have been basking in the sunlight of your glory, and the rest of the Clan is bowing down before you, I have been forced into the sidelines, like I don't even matter."

"I was an apprentice back then. I-"

"You were an apprentice this morning!" she snarled. "But you act like a kit. Once upon a time, I thought you were different, I thought that you were actually on my side until you did what everyone else did, ignored me! Don't you think I wanted to be something more than a medicine cat?"

"That's not my fault!" Lionfire hissed. "If you were immature enough to think you could only be a warrior when everyone thought you could, you're mouse-brained. You shouldn't have let anyone stop you!"

"I don't think I would cause my own pain," Frozenpaw argued, arching her back. "And why do you think cats would try to stop me? Because I'm smaller than you. You think that's my fault? You think I did anything to make cats think I was helpless? I remember when you were the only cat to keep me hopeful, curling up beside me every night, but you turned out just like everyone else. Blind!"

"What do you mean blind?"

"Did you not see me every day, longing after the patrols as they left, gazing at the ShadowClan battle? I wanted every part of the warrior life, so bad that it hurt, and all you and everyone else did was omit my agony and call me Frostpaw." Frozenpaw bristled. "That's not my name. I thought warriors were supposed to be their for Clanmates whenever they needed them, instead, I had to walk my path alone, dreaming of a life I could not live because cats like you treated me like an outcast."

Lionfire bared his teeth. "Why didn't you stand up for yourself then?"

"That was my life when I was a kit too. That helplessness you gave me at two moons old carried through with me to now. Stop making excuses! I need to know there's someone left who cares."

"Frozenpaw, not every dream can be lived. You're doing good as a medicine cat. That's what I cared about. Isn't it better this way?" Lionfire looked a little less hostile as he asked that question. "If we both wanted to be leader, it would injure us in the long-run. Besides, no one would trust you as a warrior. I know you did something to Nettlepaw."

"So you were the yellow-eyed cat that saw me with him," she whispered.

"Snowshine did. She just told me about it. You're lucky I kept my mouth shut, otherwise, you'd be hurting more than now."

"Nothing can hurt me more than now," Frozenpaw whispered. "I know that my brother really does hate me like everyone else."

"Grow up," he muttered. "Aren't you supposed to be the mature one? Go _pick some leaves, _or something."

Frozenpaw couldn't speak. Did he really just say that to her? Tears brimmed at her eyes.

Lionfire froze, realizing what he had said. "Oh StarClan, Frozenpaw, I didn't mean that. I'm sorry."

"No," she said, so softly it was barely audible in own ears. She rose her voice just a little. "No, it's too late for that. I gave you my whole life as a chance, and you failed to take it." Her claws flexed and her legs bent.

"Frozenpaw, don't," Lionfire said. "You'll regret it."

"I won't," she hissed. "I've been thinking about it since we became apprentices, I just never noticed until now." Her voice was beginning to harden now. "I always knew you would pay the price. I guess it's today."

Lionfire opened his mouth to speak, but he never got the chance. Frozenpaw barreled into him, slicing her claws across his soft belly. Lionfire screeched as he crashed to the ground and blood began pouring from the wound. Frozenpaw pinned him.

"See?" she snarled. "I was always meant to be a warrior."

Lionfire shook and thrashed, trying to get free of her grip, but it was too strong. Her hatred was too strong.

She drew her claws over his chest, and blood seeped from his cuts. "This is for the Clan hating me," she growled as she watched the blood drip to the ground. Her next blow was to the shoulder, powerful enough to bring out a piece of his flesh. Lionfire moaned at the pain. "That was for letting it happen." She stood over him, gaze fixed on his neck. In the quietest voice she had ever spoken in, she whispered, "And this is for taking everything I've ever wanted, and destroying it."

As swift as an adder, she lunged. The forest was drowned in a blood-curdling shriek that pieced Frozenpaw's ears to the ground. Blood filled her mouth as she crushed her brother's throat in her jaws. His legs twitched and splashed in the blood that was pooling below. And, in a single instant, he stopped moving.

Frozenpaw dropped him. Lionfire's neck was was bloody mess, with pieces of skin torn out. His head lolled, and she saw the look in his eyes. It was beyond any horror Frozenpaw could ever imagine, and that was when it hit her.

She looked down. Her paws were fully drowned in the life of her brother. Her legs were crimson, and the taste of blood was hot on her tongue.

Frozenpaw felt sadness and fury at her herself well up inside. She collapsed onto the ground, shaken by sobs.

_What have I done? _

**O.O**

**...OH MY FREAKING STARCLAN! WHAT THE DARK FOREST DID I JUST WRITE!**

**Well, that was my longest chapter ever. **

**Review.**

**Meep.**

**~Destiny**


	23. Chapter 22- Bloody Regret

**Well, those reviews for the last chapter surprised me. **

**Guys, I beg of you, do not give up on me yet! I have already had somebody do it, and I don't want to lose you. Give this book to chance to really unfold, and hopefully in the future, the sequel won't be as depressing. Please just bare with me, accept what I'm trying to do. This is something new for me.**

**Also, previous reviews told me that you guys don't like Lionfire, and even though Oakshade is the real evil one, that he is stupid for being influenced by him. And then last chapter you're all like: WTF!? WHY DID YOU KILL HIM?!**

**Lol.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors**

Chapter Twenty-two

Frozenpaw carefully picked out the white fur from between Lionfire's claws. She knew that cats would automatically expect she was the one who killed the light brown tabby. At least some of them. Snowshine and Oakshade wouldn't believe it if she admitted it to them directly. They'd think it was a dangerous badger or even a monster that killed their son before they'd believe their enraged medicine cat daughter laid a claw on him.

_They don't know how strong I am, _she thought with scorn. _Strong enough to kill the cat that defeated ShadowClan's leader. _

Her heart cracked a bit. How could she have done it? He won ThunderClan so much honor, and he really was going to make it the strongest Clan in the forest. Was she really so stupid to think that she wouldn't be part of it?

Frozenpaw balled the small amount of her fur and buried it under the tree roots. She wouldn't let herself break. She just had to keep covering her tracks. There was know way she would let cats hate her more than she did herself now.

Next, for many hours, she licked her fur clean. The subtle taste of blood expanded into something much more painful. It clenched her heart, and at one point, she had to stop, and collapse, struggling to control her breathing.

When she was done with covering her tracks, she paused. What would she say to her Clanmates? She was gone for so long. They would think they had something to do with it, or they would at least have the suspicion.

Frozenpaw looked side to side? What story could she make up so it matches the scene? A badger or fox? No, it was clearly a cat that did it. A rogue? Better, but what about her? She was with Lionfire, and there would be no way the Clan would think a medicine cat could have fought it off unscathed.

_Unscathed? _she thought, looking at her flank. _I guess I can fix that. _

She held up her claws, but looking at them made her vision blur. As she waited for the forest to stop spinning around her, thoughts swam swiftly through her mind:

_Look at what you're doing now. Are you a criminal?_

_Are you crazy? You can't wound yourself just to make your story fit. That's sick!_

_It's okay. You deserve it anyway. Just get it over with, and go back to camp. _

Frozenpaw took a deep breath, vision returning to normal. Twisting, so her paw could reach her flank, she ran her claws over her flesh. Pain swept over her, but she ignored it and leaned down to sink her teeth into her foreleg. She felt blood seep through her fur, but she made another mark at the back of her head, making it run down to the side of her neck. The agony was overwhelming, but she kept making scratches in her legs and sides.

_That's it! Stop! Are you trying to kill yourself too? _

Frozenpaw lowered her claws to the ground, panting and gasping. She really was a criminal, but she had already done it. If there was a way to reverse it all, she would take it, but there wasn't. She had to keep moving forward.

She slowly headed back to camp, paw steps unsteady and sluggish. As the bramble tunnel began appearing to sight, her head pounded, spots flashed around her and her belly churned. When she broke through the branches, she felt all eyes on her.

All in an instant, Frozenpaw broke down, collapsing and struggling to breathe. She coughed and gasped, trying hard to regain her breath. A few cats rushed up to help her, including Hailblaze and Leafpelt, but everyone else just watched, uncertain of what to make of the situation.

"Frozenpaw," Hailblaze said. His voice sounded far off. "What happened?"

She looked up at him, swallowed, and spoke.

"L-Lio-Lionfire...is...d-d-dead."

Hailblaze and Leafpelt gasped, looking at each other. Suddenly, another cat was beside them, and Frozenpaw recognized Oakshade, but she was too shocked, to care. "What did she say?"

"Lionfire is dead," Hailblaze replied sorrowfully.

Oakshade's eyes went round, and he tensed. "My son...?" He whirled to Frozenpaw. "Did you...why...?"

Hailblaze snarled at him. "I know you're upset, but don't blame Frozenpaw. She's clearly just as hurt and distraught as you, if not more. Open your eyes! Look at her!"

Oakshade just growled back.

More cats began crowding around. Flickerstar pushed to the front, right beside Hailblaze. "Tell us what happened, Frozenpaw."

She looked up at him, and couldn't bare to look any longer to see how disappointed he was; disappointed to know that his best warrior been killed in his own territory.

"Well," she whispered, voice heavy with regret. She swallowed it before continuing. "We were taking a walk...in the territory. It was near..." she paused thinking, but covered it up with a cough. "Tallpines. Something didn't smell right. There was an intruder in the territory, but before we could do anything, it attacked. First it attacked me, giving me these, wounds."

Oakshade hissed. "And how did you manage to live?"

Hailblaze silenced him with a glare.

"But before...he could kill me, Lionfire attacked him. I was too hurt to help. I was nearly unconscious...The rogue...killed...him with a blow...to the neck..." Frozenpaw was lightheaded as she spoke the last sentence. Not only had she killed her own brother, but she was now lying about it.

"Frozenpaw get to my den," Hailblaze ordered. "You're too weak. Make way!"

He grabbed her scruff and pushed through the congregation. Her eyes could no longer stay open by the time they got through. Her paws went completely limp and blackness engulfed her. Even the murmuring around her faded to absolute silence.

She had never been so pained in such calm darkness.

* * *

Frozenpaw's eyes fluttered open. The medicine den was almost fully dark except for a shaft of light raining in from the entrance. Hailblaze sat there, cutting off some of the path of light, his face shadowed with both the night outside and grief.

"What's going on?" Frozenpaw asked.

Her mentor flicked an ear. "Lionfire's vigil. I stayed in here to watch over you." He padded over and touched his nose to her ear-tip. "Your fever went down, and the bleeding has stopped. You can go out there is you want. I know you never had a good relationship with him, but he is your brother."

His words were fox-claws to her heart. He was her brother, and her only real family. Oakshade and Snowshine never cared about her, and though he tried so long to deny it, Lionfire did, even if it was deep down.

"I know it's hard," Hailblaze soothed. "If you don't want to see him, it's okay. They found his body near Tallpines. It is pretty awful." He looked off into the distance, eyes clouded. He shook it away.

"No," Frozenpaw said. "I want to see him."

He didn't reply for a long time. "If you wish. I won't stop you."

Frozenpaw slowly stood. Her paws were weak but she managed to stagger outside into the clearing. She could see most of the Clan sitting near the Great Rock, but she couldn't see her brother's body. She went up, bracing herself for what she was about to see.

She stopped when she saw him. His blood had been all licked up, and his fur was nice and groomed. He was lying on his wound, so she could not see it. His eyes were closed, but his mouth was still frozen into a soundless scream forever lost in her memories. She swallowed, and settled right beside him.

A cat clawed the ground across from her. Frozenpaw looked up to see Oakshade and Snowshine, leaning against each other. Snowshine's eyes were closed and her expression around it was beyond any sadness Frozenpaw had ever seen. Oakshade was glowering right at her, look challenging.

_Does he know? _she thought, but didn't show her worry. She gave a slight smile, that said she was expecting what she saw, and stared back at Lionfire.

_I'm so sorry...Are you in StarClan? They'd welcome a great cat like you. _Something pinched her heart. _I can't believe I never saw it... _

**Yay! Sorry this chapter is a few days later than usual. I just got braces and they have been stressing me out. :( Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. Please review! **

**~Destiny**


	24. Chapter 23- Dead-end

**Okay, guys. I posted the last chapter, went to school, came back and had ten more reviews! Dang, thank you so much! We reached over 200! I feel like my writing has come so far since I first joined FanFiction. I'm sorry that I'm disappointing you with how this story is going, but it feels great to have so many people who tolerate it. :) Thanks!**

**Despite that, I feel that this book is making you hate me...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors **

Chapter Twenty-three

It had been a few days since Lionfire's vigil. When dawn came that morning, the senior warriors, took his body and buried him near the sandy hollow.

"His greatest achievements were met in training," Oakshade had rasped. "It was then we all saw that he was going to be an excellent warrior."

Frozenpaw had watched as body was carried away. The faint morning light had added a golden sheen to his light tabby fur. Snowshine was so grief-stricken that for once in her life, Frozenpaw felt empathy towards her mother, and really saw her that way. Though it wasn't towards her, Snowshine had really been a loving parent to Lionfire. Why could she not admire her for that?

Though she didn't deserve it, Frozenpaw had to hold on to her medicine cat rank. She still needed to hold onto Clanlife with all the strength she could ever posses. She would never tell the Clan of her sins, because knowing it herself was already painful enough.

She ate alone, chewing the mouse's leg slowly. Most of the Clan was now enjoying their mid-day meal. The hunting patrol that morning had caught a massive lot of prey, everything meaty and juicy, but Frozenpaw's tasted foul with the bitter taste in her mouth. It was always there to remind her of the blood on her claws when her mind didn't.

She pushed away the mouse.

"Frozenpaw," the voice came, heavy with sadness. Frozenpaw could tell that whoever it was was trying to cover it up with fierce seriousness.

"Hailblaze?" she asked, seeing him walk next to her. "What's up?" She managed to sound less upset than she felt.

"This is the worst time," he said, a slight growl to his voice. "But I have bad news."

Her heart sank. Frozenpaw really wasn't in the mood for any bad news, but she pricked her ears. _Fight to keep it. Fight to be proud of yourself._

"I don't know how the Clan's going to take this. You know how Mousewhisper's wounds became infected?"

Frozenpaw looked down. She knew what he was going to say.

"She died. And it's only been four sunrises since..." he trailed off.

Frozenpaw blinked slowly. "Yeah, I know. Don't remind me." The last sentence came off a lot more bitter than she had intended, and she hoped she didn't arouse any suspicion.

"I'm afraid to upset the Clan."

She swung her head up. "Hey, this is unlike you. These things happen. We will go through dark times. We are going to have to be brave."

"I know," he sighed. "You have the heart of a warrior. I know things have been hard for you, but you will be remembered for all your goodness."

As wonderful as those words were, they pained her so much, that her legs trembled and she had to sit before they buckled. She struggled to keep her expression straight.

"I will tell Flickerstar the news," Hailblaze meowed, padding away.

Frozenpaw watched him disappear into the leader's den. It was only moments later that the ginger leader slipped through the lichen and leapt onto the Highrock. Frozenpaw jumped to her paws. _No way he's thought of a deputy already. _

"Will all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting," Flickerstar yowled for the entire Clan to hear. Warrior after warrior gathered at the stone. Dusksky emerged from the nursery, Mumblekit and Sweetkit at her paws. None of them knew what had now befallen them. Seeing that made Frozenpaw's paws numb.

_Another death...What if there's more to come? It would have all started with me... _

"I have just been informed by our medicine cat some news that none of us would be happy to hear," Flickerstar began. "Lionfire's death is still placing fresh grief in our hearts, and joining StarClan with him this morning, was our deputy, Mousewhisper."

A few shocked murmurs swept through camp before Oakshade shouted aloud, "This is ShadowClan's fault! If they had not been mouse-brains and attacked, Mousewhisper's wouldn't have infected wounds!"

Frozenpaw growled. It was _his _fault ShadowClan attacked.

"And who's to say that it wasn't ShadowClan cat that killed Lionfire at Tallpines!" added Smallfeather with a snarl. "Just out of revenge of their defeat."

"Frozenpaw claimed it was a rogue that attacked them," Talonfoot said. He looked over his shoulder at her, staring with narrowed eyes. "Or was she mistaken?"

Suddenly the Clan broke out in a delirium of yowls and hisses as they shouted their thoughts to the forest. Flickerstar silenced them all with a sharply sonorous snarl. All eyes turned to him.

"Quiet! Whether it was a Clancat or a rogue, I don't want to stir up any more trouble with ShadowClan. Our quarrel with them is over, and that is that. It isn't worth it to begin anymore unneeded fights."

"Unneeded? Those fox-hearts killed my son!" Snowshine spat.

"Can you prove that?" Flickerstar questioned.

She didn't say anything.

"Who will be our new deputy?" asked Stormshade.

"It is part of our code that one needs to be chosen by moonhigh," Flickerstar replied. "But I have just made my decision. The deputy shall be..." he trailed off, leaving the Clan in suspense for many heartbeats. "Oakshade."

As they name slipped past his lips, Frozenpaw's insides turned to mud. She didn't know what her expression looked like, only that it was not left blank. Her father, the cruel and manipulating cat she trusted the least of everyone else, is ThunderClan's new deputy?

"I know my choice came to me quickly, but I know it is the right one. You probably lost the most of all when your son was killed," Flickerstar went on, "But we all know he was a great warrior, and his memory will live on through his father who he was so much like. You are a brave and loyal cat and I can think of know one who deserves the position more than you."

The dark brown tabby dipped his head. He didn't even look surprised.

"Oakshade! Oakshade! Oakshade!" The Clan cheered, Snowshine the loudest. Frozenpaw remained silent, and she noticed looking around that Hailblaze had too. Both of them were not happy with Flickerstar's decision.

Perhaps dark times were among them...

* * *

She was happy.

There was only one thing on her mind, and she had never been so satiated to be so focused on herb collecting. Hailblaze had sent her to fetch some cobweb and marigold. They were running extremely low because they had used much of it for Mousewhisper.

Frozenpaw took in deep breaths of crisp late greenleaf air. Being out in the forest alone, made her feel so right inside especially because lately she had been feeling so depressed. It felt nice to just walk over the rich ground and listen to the sounds of the forest, some of which she bnever would have heard if she was so overwhelmed over the past.

_Cobweb...cobweb...marigold..._

The sweet smell of the golden plant bloomed in her nostrils and she halted. She stood in a clearing, the trees around casting long shadows onto the long grass as the last light of day shone down. She got a clear view of the orange-red sky, beautiful sitting ovmuster forest as mysterious as this one.

"Now," she murmured aloud. "To find that herb."

She searched to ground, taking slow paw steps around the clearing, waiting for the flower to pop into view.

What she saw was not what she expected.

A root jutted from the ground, going up several mouse-lengths before diving back into the dirt. Something was caught where the surface and the underground met. Frozenpaw stared at it a little longer. A patch of fur, clutching to the root, and at the tips was blood, where it had been ripped out.

She leaned down and ever-so slightly, sniffed it.

Frozenpaw stiffened.

It was Lionfire's fur.

She backed away, scared, almost as if she had discovered a murdered body in a hole. _It can't be, _she thought. _I'm no where near Tallpines. _

Frozenpaw took in a breath that carried the scent. It was stale, very stale, it couldn't have been from when she had killed him.

But that didn't matter did it? All she knew was that wherever she went, there would always be a memory of her brother, may it be a patch of fur or the words of her Clanmates. She could try to run from her misdeeds, try and live her life, but how could she live with herself if all there was at end, a reminder that she was the opposite of who she always wanted to be?

Before Frozenpaw knew it, her paws were taking her through the territory. They sped up every tail-length, every heartbeat, they wound past very scent, if it was an herb or prey. There was one place she had her mind on.

She bounded through the sandy hollow, kicking up the dust that she and many others have fought upon. The memory of Lionfire was spread across the sand, but she was looking for no memory.

Sprouting through the ground, like a claw in the darkness, was a twig decorated with golden pine needles. Frozenpaw knew that the senior warriors had buried him that way, the needles a symbol of pride to ThunderClan and its thick-wooded forests. She remembered the words of Beetletooth when he and the other cats that buried him returned.

"May Lionfire not just be a memory of our generation's finest warriors, but of all the history of ThunderClan."

Frozenpaw ran her paws over the ground, just knowing that her brother was underneath it all.

"Why did they have to pull us apart at the mere quality of size. If only they had seen us both as the great warriors we were to be, you might still be here to today."

As the words as soft as a whisper slipped past her mouth, she realized that she no longer knew who to blame. It would only cause more pain thinking that either she or the rest of her Clan were the cats she could never trust, but she would never get it off her mind to put her at ease.

_Am I am an outcast within my self and within the one thing I had cared about most. Who am I now if I've lost both of those things to my uncontrolled mistake? _

**I know, I suck. I couldn't exactly find a good way to end the chapter so that's what I put. I don't like it myself, but you can tell me what you want. **

**And I know this story is really sad now but...**

**Uh, that's it. **

**I'm sorry if this isn't going how you wanted! But I'm continuing. I have never been more excited for any other story before this one, so please stay with me! **

**~Destiny **


	25. Chapter 24- Broken Dreams

**Thanks for all the reviews guys! This is the last chapter of Part One-Broken Dreams, so don't click away unless your house in on fire or you missed a chapter. If you are still reading this, TOTALDESTINYFAN, Fuzzkit is in here.**

**And please, don't hate me when this ends. **

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Warriors belongs to Erin Hunter **

Chapter Twenty-Four

Time dragged, but four moons had passed.

Clan-life was going well for ThunderClan. Thankfully, they did not get into anymore trouble with ShadowClan. Breezestar had kept quiet at the Gathering after the battle happened, just moving along with the usual announcments. Runningstar had unfortunately passed away a couple moons back and now Pinestar led WindClan.

But within ThunderClan, there were thankfully no more deaths. Frozenpaw was grateful that the dark times, as she and Hailblaze called we're had passed. The Clan stopped grieving over Lionfire and Mousewhisper a while ago, and even though there were no reminders any longer of what she had done, she still saw graphic images in her head when she slept.

Dusksky's kits became apprentices and were now Mumblepaw and Sweetpaw. Stoneclaw was given his first apprentice when at the ceremony and now he and Mumblepaw were training hard. Sweetpaw was given to Branchtail for mentoring. Plus, new kits were born to Whitefur and Rabbitfoot named Fuzzkit, Larkkit and Gorsekit. Frozenpaw liked watching the three of them as they played outside the nursery. Fuzzkit's amber eyes reminded her of Nettlepaw.

And still yet, no one suspected a thing. She couldn't decide if she wanted them to or not.

It was a half moon Gathering that night at Highstones, and Frozenpaw was not excited. The last few had gone the same way: Squirrelfur teasing her when she arrived; Whispershadow and Spiralwhisker standing by like they weren't part of anything; be holding the same beauty she would always for the rest of her life; nothing happening for the entire time.

Since her last complex dream, there had been nothing but absolute darkness, silence and air in her sleep. And if she was lucky, a slight breath of chilled air. It was either nothing, or everything she didn't want. And with those two things and only those two things to accompany her on the spiritual side of her medicine cat journey, it was clear she was meant to make her mistake all along, and she was never destined to be a healer.

She was never destined to be anything.

Smallfeather laid in the medicine den, hind leg stretched out. She had caught herself in a tangle of thorns and branches, and by pulling herself out, she had scratched her leg bad. Three red marks ran from her hip to the end of her ankle. Frozenpaw had to chew a lot of dock leaves to get enough pulp to cover the wounds.

"There," she said, finished. "It'll sting to stretch the leg for a few days. It'd be best if you stayed off of hunting parties for a few days, but if it doesn't hurt to walk, you can go on border patrols." She paused. "Just don't be getting yourself tangled up in bushes anymore or we'll run out of herbs."

"Thanks, Frozenpaw," Smallfeather replied, standing unsteadily. "I'll go rest now." She hobbled out on three legs.

Frozenpaw sighed. _She actually remembered my name. That would usually feel good...but now it just feels wrong. _

"Good job," Hailblaze's voice sounded, startling her out of her thoughts. "Now you even have the attitude of a medicine cat."

"I've been training for eight moons. What do you expect?" she returned.

The gray and white tom looked at her for a while, studying her.

Suddenly he burst out, "What does a chervil plant's roots help with?"

"Bellyache," Frozenpaw replied almost immediately, taken aback.

"What about poppy seeds?"

"Shock, distress and they help you sleep," she said. "Why are you-"

"Thyme."

"Anxiety and nerves."

"Stinging nettle."

"Swelling."

"Borage leaves."

"Help bring milk to Queens and brings down fever."

Hailblaze stopped. He wore a look of approval on his face. Ever so softly, he laughed, a deep, throaty laugh. "And the difference between catmint and watermint?"

"Catmint is for greencough and watermint is for bellyache, Frozenpaw meowed, just looking at her mentor, refusing to answer a question wrong but also wanting to know why she is being asked.

"Well," Hailblaze breathed. "Color me impressed. I was not as quick and easy with Shadewhisker, and you look like you don't even know what's going on. Truth is, I can ask you many more questions than you've eaten mice about herbs but I think it's clear now." He looked on and his whiskers twitched. "You still appear to me that you have no clue what I'm talking about. Take a guess."

Frozenpaw blinked. "Well...I've just been overwhelmed with all this last minute work...and I still think about Lionfire..."

Hailblaze nodded. "I see...but you have to know what I'm speaking of."

"There's a half moon Gathering tonight," Frozenpaw put in. "But what does that have to do with you randomly pelting me with questions about leaves?"

"You know, you seem two really know this stuff," said her mentor. "Eight moons of training could really wear you out. I told you the training took longer than a warrior's. It's about time you earn your full name."

That's when she began to feel sick. Her stomach churned even though she had not eaten all day. Her vision went out of focus and she stared at her paws, waiting for everything to stop spinning.

Her ceremony. How could she not think of that?

She had worried about her belonging this whole time and whether or not it was the right thing to just carry on with her life. Her heart would always tell her no, but her mind would always be set on forgiving herself and forgetting what she did. After moons, it was all still fresh in her mind, and now...how could she do it?

But she had to. No one would omit the fact that she had killed her own brother, they'd leave in a place in the world she didn't want to be of she didn't do it herself first.

And what about Hailblaze? What would he think? He had always been more of father to her than Oakshade ever was. If he knew, it would ruin whatever dignity she had left.

"Okay," she said. "Finally."

* * *

They were the first to Highstones. Frozenpaw sat fidgeting, not only was it freezing cold, but she had never been more nervous in her life. She knew she had made her decision but would StarClan forgive her?

Would she see Lionfire?

Moments later, Spiralwhisker's figure started coming up from the Thunderpath. Beside him, was another cat that Frozenpaw hadn't see before. He was small, like a kit, and had long, tabby fur. When the two arrived, Spiralwhisker introduced him.

"This is my apprentice, Ripplepaw."

"Hi," Ripplepaw said bashfully.

"Welcome to the world of medicine," Hailblaze said. You're lucky to have Spiralwhisker as a mentor. He's very smart."

"Thank you," he said.

Squirrelfur and Whispershadow soon both arrived, and they were ready to go to the Moonstone. Squirrelfur walked beside Frozenpaw wearing a smug expression.

"Still an apprentice?" she asked. "I was done moons before you."

"I'm getting my full name tonight," Frozenpaw growled. "And you should learn to shut your face."

"Hey, stop it," Hailblaze snarled.

"Yeah Frozenpaw, stop it," Squirrelfur hissed.

"You, too," Hailblaze warned. "Don't be like a kit."

They both didn't say another word.

The Moonstome in leafbare life sent an even colder chill down Frozenpaw's spine than in any other season. And when she reached forward to have her nose touched by the silver, she would be paralyzed by the cold for a heartbeat. Things were different there now. Beautifully cruel.

"Ahem," Hailblaze said. "There is something I'd like to say before we sleep. The time has come for Frozenpaw to become a full medicine cat."

Something on the inside of her turned to stone.

"Frozenpaw had her heart set on a different path early in her life, but she made the brave decision of veering away from her dreams and taking the path of a healer."

Her blood ran as ice.

"She is very talented in this art, and I'm sure StarClan will welcome her among their gorgeous ranks of the spiritual world."

Her thoughts ran wild.

"So now I say..."

_This is really happening. I'm becoming a full medicine cat of ThunderClan. I didn't want this path but I didn't deserve the other one. _

"I, Hailblaze medicine cat of ThunderClan, call upon all of my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice."

_But now I wonder...do I deserve this one? _

"She has trained hard to learn the ways of a medicine cat, and I hope you are to guide her even further down her path for many moons."

_Is there another way? _

"Frozenpaw..."

_Where would it lead me? _

"Do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

_What good will it do to say no? _"I do." _No...what have I done? _

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I name you Frozenleaf."

_I really _don't _deserve this. I can't have this...I can't... _

"StarClan honors you for your loyalty and justice..."

_No...no...no! This isn't right! I-I can't! _

"And we all welcome as a full medicine cat of-"

"_No!" _she yowled, filling the cave with her cry. "No! No! No! I can't! This-this isn't..." She collapsed, gasping and sobbing. It went darker as cats stood over her. They were speaking but she couldn't hear them. Her heart was beating in her chest so loud, it drowned out everything else.

But one statement she heard loud and clear.

"What is wrong?"

A tail brushed her back.

"Get off me!" she snarled, leaping up. Hailblaze withdrew and stared at her with wide, eyes that held an odd mixture of questioning and concern. "Stay away!"

The others were pressed against the wall. Ripplepaw looked so frightened, it shattered everything else.

"_I AM NOTHING! STAY AWAY, STAY AWAY!" _

She turned, claws scraping the stone floor. The dark tunnel that was the exit called to her, while the Moonstone pushed her away. She shot one last glance at Hailblaze. The horror that appeared in his eyes at that moment made her wonder what kind of horrifying monster was hidden within the depths of her gaze.

She ran...

and ran...

and then she was outside...

she ran...

and ran...

and then she jumped over a log...

she ran...

and ran...

and then...

she...was...gone.

**I bet all of you are hating me right now. You might as well just punch me in the face and call it a day. I'm not really liking myself right now either, so don't tell me that you hate me, just tell me what you thought of this chapter.**

**But guys, please don't give up on me. This was only Part One, not the end, Part One. Okay? I worried that if I don't make that clear you'll all stop reading because this is so depressing. :( I'm scared. Please reassure me. Please...**

**~Destiny**


	26. Chapter 25- Greyson

**I freakin love you all right now. I love you because you aren't set out to murder me, and you are looking on the bright side for this story, and I love that you are supporting me through this depressing nightmare and pushing me to write even more. I wish I could pull all of you into a group hug and give you plushies. Well, I can do the second one. *tosses a bunch of Frozenleaf, Lionfire, Hailblaze, Nettlepaw and other plushies to you***

**Disclaimer- Warriors belongs to Erin Hunter. **

_Part Two- Damaged Identity_

Chapter Twenty-Five

It was white.

Everything was a blank, pure white masterpiece across the world. The ground had vanished under the cold crystals. The branches were trapped in the glinting sheens of ice. The sky was lost within an entire sea of clouds, and the air and land itself was gone as the flakes of frozen rain rapidly fell from the sky.

She had never experienced a real snowstorm. She had always wondered, but now that she knew, she only hoped that it would end. A few days deeper into leafbare hurt a lot more than she would have ever expected as a grown cat, and the cold wasn't the only thing to ice her blood, but the pain that was left throbbing in her head.

For a while, she had wondered what her name was. Her mentor had given her the name of Frozenleaf, but had never fully ended the ceremony, but she decided on her full name anyway. At least it had meaning.

Once she understood what had happened at the Moonstone, Frozenleaf asked herself how she could have fallen into so many pieces at such a time. Four moons had passed since her claws were bloodied by the life of her brother, but yet it was that time later that she broke. Could it have been the guilt that built up inside her her? Or was it something darker? For all she knew, she couldn't go back.

Frozenleaf pushed through the blizzard, ears flattened against her head. Her ears weren't even half open, less than that. The only way she knew if anything was in front of her, was when she stumbled into it. The snow was up most of her leg and the wind was blowing in her face, taking along with it, large flakes of snow that froze her whiskers. She knew she had to find shelter, but all there was was tree-lengths and tree-lengths of moor from all directions. Not a cave, tree or den anywhere.

She was so cold, so cold that it hurt until it numbed. She could hardly feel her paws, but she kept on walking, she had no choice. They were never looking for her, but she had to get as far away as possible. Doing what she did, was unforgivable, and unexplainable, unless they figured it out already. She was sure Hailblaze had told the Clan what she did, and they were cursing her name to StarClan that very moment. Frozenleaf could only imagine what Snowshine and Oakshade were thinking about her. _They _may have been out searching for her starving, snow covered body to flay and then leave in the snow to color it scarlet. They could be doing whatever, but all she knew was that it was either the cold or a cat that would kill her.

StarClan couldn't help her now. She was totally alone.

The snow began to soften its blow on the land, but even so, the wind whipped and it had left behind such a thick layer of white, it was hard to tell that there was even ground beneath it. Frozenleaf could no longer trudge, for the snow had now reached her shoulders. She leaped each time, kicking up a cloud of flakes that would melt into her skin and coldly bite at her flesh like shards of ice.

And it hurt. Her legs and whatever part of her that wasn't left numb, ached, and ached as if she was swimming against a harsh currant. She bunched her muscles, ready to spring forward, when something underneath the snow, caught her paw and she fell face first into the snow.

And at that same moment, a world so white, went black.

* * *

The sound of thumping paw steps woke Frozenleaf. As soon as she regained consciousness, pain exploded over her legs and her face, and she was lying on something cold to the touch, but it wasn't snow. It was rock hard.

Her eyes fluttered open, and the first things she wondered was if she was blind, but as she scanned the area around, she saw that there was a shadowed figure standing off, watching her with slitted blue eyes. Frozenleaf flinched at the intensity of his unblinking gaze.

The figure, clearly a cat, flicked an ear, and took a step toward her. When she said nothing, he advanced even closer, until he was standing right over her.

"Your name?" his voice was rough and raspy, but yet commanding, a voice to match his gaze.

Frozenleaf said nothing.

"Speak," he ordered, and the word echoed.

"Frozen...leaf."

"Frozenleaf?" he asked. "Peculiar. I've never heard of any cat with a name quite like yours."

"I never asked to be judged," she snapped.

"No, of course not," the cat rumbled. "You're lucky I found you, Frozenleaf. Your pelt blended well with the snow. If I hadn't tripped over your body, you'd be as good as dead in that cold." He turned and padded off, stopping a few fox-lengths away.

"Um..." Frozenleaf meowed. "May I ask your name?"

"Sure," the cat said, looking back at her. "You may."

Annoyance clawed at her belly. "What is your name?"

"Greyson," the cat replied. "My name is Greyson." He walked to her again, this time carrying something in his jaws. They were leaves.

"How'd you find those in this weather?" Frozenleaf asked as he started chewing them, most likely to make a poultice.

"My sister, Paula gave them to me," answered Greyson and he spit out the pulp. "She belongs to the Bareskins. Apparently they have plants growing inside their nests. I don't know why; Bareskins are weird."

_Bareskins, _Frozenleaf thought. _Those must be Twolegs. _

"It's for your frostbite," Greyson meowed.

"Frostbite?" asked Frozenleaf.

"Yes," Greyson said. "It's when your body gets to cold that you skin turns black. Some of your fur has fallen off and your skin is peeling. Plus, your ears look like they have sliced off by a badgers claws."

"What?" demanded Frozenleaf. "I need to see my reflection!"

Greyson shook his head, dabbing the poultice on her legs and back. "No. You need to rest. When was the last time you've eaten?"

Frozenleaf growled, claws unsheathing. "I want to see my reflection!"

"It's too dark in here and there is snow covering every stream or river you could think of. I'm afraid your stuck here," Greyson replied sternly. "Now answer me, when was the last time you've eaten?"

She didn't respond. She _couldn't _respond. She hadn't had a proper meal since before she went to the Moonstone, and she was so overwhelmed with guilt, that she didn't know how much time had passed since then. She just continued watching Greyson apply the pulp to her body.

"I'll take that as a 'not for days'," mewed Greyson. "I have a few mice stocked up somewhere around here. I caught them before the storm." He wiped his paws on the stone floor. "I'm assuming you want one?"

Frozenleaf remained silent as he walked off and returned with a limp piece of prey in his mouth. He dropped it at her paws and told her to eat.

She did not realize how starving she was until she took the first bite. Within seconds, she had devoured the entire mouse, leaving nothing but a small pile of bones.

Greyson looked at her with an amused expression. "So," he said, "what brought you out into blizzard as harsh as that, eh?"

Frozenleaf stiffened, looking down. She couldn't tell him the whole story, he'd banish her from the cave. So she went with something else less descriptive.

"I got lost," she mewed quickly. Not entirely a lie. When she left, she really had no idea where she was going, just that she gone.

"I see. Did you belong to the Bareskins?" asked Greyson.

"No," she replied. "I was, uh, born into the wild. I belonged to this large group of cats called a Clan. It's a long story I'd rather not share. It's actually pretty personal. I just got upset one day and ran off, then I didn't know where I was." She flicked her tail tip. "How about you tell me about yourself?"

Greyson blinked his blue eyes. "Nothin' special to tell. I was born alongside my sisters and we grew up together. Paula went to the Bareskins after our parents died and my other sister, Lilac, and I found this cave."

Frozenleaf looked at him for a moment. "Where's Lilac now?"

"Died a few seasons back," said Greyson. "Some sort of infection in her lungs. Kept coughing and coughing until one day she was gone." He shrugged like it didn't bug him.

"I bet she had greencough," Frozenleaf meowed to Greyson. "That's a deadly chest infection that has only one known cure. Catmint. Usually grows near the Twolegplace." She paused."I bet Paula has it somewhere near her, and in this weather it's always good to have some."

"You seem to know your stuff," commented Greyson.

"I picked up a few things in the past," murmured Frozenleaf.

"I see. Well, you should rest." Without another word, he padded off and before she knew it, he was completely hidden in the shadows with nothing except his blue eyes visible.

Frozenleaf stretched, yawning. She really was exhausted, and as soon as she realized it, she drifted off into sleep.

_She was in darkness for a while, and during that time, it was peaceful, and she was happy_ _for once since she left the Clans. But in an instant, it ended. Two green eyes bright with malevolence opened into the blackness. Frozenleaf watched in horror as they inspected her. _

_"No," she whispered. "Not...not you." _

_In silence they stood, staring at each other, one with a gaze of pure fear and the other with one of fury. Then, in a single breath, a voice whispered, just loud enough to be heard. _

"And so it begins."

_Just as the words slipped into soundlessness, icy pain gripped Frozenleaf, and battered her with sharp claws, claws of ice. The numbing agony she felt had been replaced with eternal pain. Dizziness struck her and the world was in flashes of white, breaking the darkness and dropping it into a bottomless abyss of regret. Images of blood and cats shrieking in fear swirled in her mind, things that looked like she would be able to do, but made into a much darker picture. She felt wounds split open, her life pouring out into the darkness, only as her life grew fainter, the pain grew stronger, wrapping around her body and reaching the deepest parts of her insides. She let out a soundless cry for help, but she was alone, alone with the agony. It froze her and mangled her twisting every mouse-length and setting the coldest of all feelings; fire of ice, burning her and freezing her. She should've been dead, but she lived on until finally she was released and she fell into nothingness. _

**Don't worry my lovelies! Frozenleaf's not dead! But she is in much pain. I'm awful to her aren't I? Anyway, Greyson has slightly more to him than he's letting on, not much, but some. It won't necessarily become all that important, but we do have new characters coming in for a reason. Hang in there! And review! **

**But wait! Don't go yet. I have a challenge for you. Go to my profile to know what it is. It should be under the announcements at the bottom of the page. **

**~Destiny**


	27. Chapter 26- Two pasts collide

**Thanks so much for the reviews! I can see that a couple people out there are thinking that Lionfire has green eyes. No he doesn't. He has yellow eyes. So...hmmm. What is it with those green eyes? **

**Read on. That answer shall be delivered soon, my lovelies. **

**Disclaimer: Warriors belongs to Erin Hunter. I am Born of True Destiny. **

Greyson sat at the cave entrance, watching the snow, as it lightly fell from the sky, drifting off it's gentle course only when the breeze blew by. Frozenleaf licked her legs, seeing where her fur had fallen out. It shocked her at first, but she knew that her frostbite would heal and it would grow back.

"So," she called. Greyson flicked his ears to let her know he was listening. "Do you like it out here? All alone..."

"It's nice," he said. "And I kinda like to keep to myself. It's great with no company around so I can just be me...no offence or anything." He peered at her. "You're different than the rest of them."

"Different how?" asked Frozenleaf, curious.

"Well, I'd rather not tell my whole story," he meowed, giving her a sharp smolder. "And you don't either."

"Trust me, you don't want to know," Frozenleaf coughed.

"I can say the same about myself," Greyson purred, lifting his chin.

"Oh no," Frozenleaf said. "Don't try an get me to press. It's fine if you don't want to explain everything in detail, as long as you can accept that with me."

"Of course I can," Greyson mewed, looking back outside. In a softer and quieter tone he repeated, "Of course I can."

Frozenleaf stared at his back for a long while, puzzled at his words. _What he is saying doesn't make any sense. It's like he wants to tell about himself but then he doesn't all of the sudden...or is it the other way around? _

She blinked and looked at her paws. _Well, whatever he wants, I'm not telling him about myself. He couldn't bare to hear something so brutal in my past. And I don't think I could bare to tell it. _

Her claws slid out, clicking against the stone floor. _Why am I so stupid? Did I not think I would regret my decision? Lionfire did nothing wrong! It was me that was too much of a weakling to take the path of my choice, and now StarClan has sent a mysterious cat to haunt my sleep and hurt me. _

She would never forget the calamitous pain that ripped at her flesh and tore up her insides. She would always remember the claws of ice that sank into her mind and burned her heart to ashes, and it was all because of that strange green-eyed cat she knew nothing about...and yet was so fearful of. She had went a night without sleeping because of the agony that grasped her in that once-so-peaceful darkness.

_I was meant to make that mistake all along. That's why that cat came to me on the first night of my apprenticeship. To let me know that they were watching me, and that I would be punished for my mistakes. _Her thinking paused. _But when the cat gave me strength; was it for my self-control so that I could hold myself back? Or was it a cruel trick by destiny? _

Frozenleaf looked at her unsheathed claws and quickly sheathed them again. _No. I will never use those again. They ruined me!_

Greyson's mew startled her out of her thoughts. "How am I going to hunt?" It took a moment to realize that he was talking to himself, because his voice was loud enough to be a question to her. It was like he had forgotten she was there.

She looked past him. He was right. By now the snow was at least to their necks. They would be swimming in it as if it were water. The mice that Greyson said he had stocked up were nearly finished with.

"We'll have to go out eventually," she said. "We can't starve."

"I know," Greyson replied after hesitating. He met her gaze with his own. "What are we to do?"

Frozenleaf shrugged. "I wish I knew. Do any creatures ever find there way in here?"

"Not most of the time. Every once in a while I find perhaps a bird or a shrew, but I doubt that will happen. It's just as cold in here as it is out there. They'd be seeking warmth, I bet, we all would."

"So we are just stuck in here with no food?"

"Looks like it," he rasped solemnly.

"I don't know how I got in here," Frozenleaf said, "And I don't know what's out there, but you can't go leafbare after leafbare just stuck inside to starve whenever it snows. There has to be some way out other than this." She stood, and padded towards him. "Maybe a pathway...a tunnel, something."

"I never really thought about leafbare," admitted Greyson, "And that makes me feel like a complete creature of idiocy. I only moved here a few seasons ago. At that time I was grieving. And by the time I got to myself, it was the time of warmth. Leafbare had never crossed my mind."

"Haven't you searched around here? There has to be more than just this cavern," Frozenleaf meowed.

"What makes you so sure of yourself?" Greyson asked.

It was then Frozenleaf realized that she had been thinking about Highstones the whole time. There were several tunnels and caverns that snaked their ways under the paws of the cats that walked on the surface. The Moonstone was her last memory of the life she abandoned.

She blinked and threw her companion an annoyed glare. "I'm just trying to stay optimistic. I don't see your doubt and negativity helping us."

Greyson looked just as irritated as she did. She wondered why. He should have seen is melancholy attitude. It appeared as if he had an excuse to feel the way he did and Frozenleaf should have known it. She bristled.

"Don't you think we should at least _try _to look for another exit?" she growled. "What's above this cave?"

"A slope," Greyson replied, "of a hill. Pretty rocky. I never go up there. Could be dangerous." And just like that, his expression was blank again.

"Scared of a few stones?" asked Frozenleaf mockingly.

He narrowed his eyes. "You're a lot different than I let on," he meowed.

"Oh come on, anyone would ask," she said sourly. "I'm looking." She stuck her head outside. The snow from the sky drifted down onto her head, and she shivered. She craned her neck to look up, and saw that there was a small overhang of rock shading the ground outside the cave. She looked back at Greyson, who was staring intently at his paws like they were the most interesting things for tree lengths.

"Give me a moment," she said. To disgust of her self, she unsheathed her claws. _Well, _she thought, _I shall not use them to...kill..._

She took a step out of the cave and took a leap, grasping the cleft with her hooked claws. It was bare; no snow. She pulled herself up, noticing how far up it really was. Frozenleaf stood, and panted once she reached and looked over the edge.

"Well," she mewed. "It looks good. No snow up here really. A few patches of ice, but it's good." She looked ahead, up the hill. "We should search for a better shelter. Let's go."

She waited, but Greyson never moved from his spot at the mouth of the cave. "I-I don't want to," he murmured. "Lilac died in here, and I feel that if I go, I'll leave behind my entire past."

"Leave it behind?" echoed Frozenleaf quietly, voice struck with sorrow. That's all she wanted, but she couldn't be the weaker one. "Maybe if you actually shared a little more about yourself with me, I'd understand, but since you're stubborn with climbing a stupid rock, I'll force you if I have to."

"What is your deal?" snarled Greyson. "Can't you feel sympathy?"

"What's _your _deal?" hissed Frozenleaf. "A cave won't change your life forever."

"Why are you even in such a rush?" Greyson questioned. "You have nothing to run from."

"You have no idea. Stop confusing me! I thought you wanted to leave! Didn't you say so? So are can find hunting?"

"I...well-"

"Look, unless you want something in this world to change, don't complain! Fine you can stay in your _cave, _but I'm moving on. Feel free to stop acting like a kit and catch up!"

To her surprise, he leapt up with her. "I'm the one acting like a kit? Can't you just see that I am going through rough times? I guess you wouldn't know how I feel to be attached to something, and then have it stolen from you. I guess you never had one of your own siblings die right before your eyes."

Frozenleaf gasped at his words. He really had no clue did he? She swallowed a sob and opened her mouth to say something.

But she was stopped.

Icy claws sank into her mind, freezing her head and chilling every nerve in her body. Pain racked her entire body as she felt everything within and around her shattered and ripped to pieces. Greyson was a tabby blur to her eyes before she was blinded with the same bright flashes of white and black she felt back in her dream. Her breathing stopped as if something was crushing her lungs in a frigid blast inside her chest.

"I thought you didn't." The words came suddenly, and along with it, in just a wink of time, the pain was gone, and she was standing directly in front of a Greyson, as if nothing had happened at all.

"Greyson," she whispered, "You don't know...you just don't...I've lost more than you could ever imagine. My life was taken from me before I even knew what it was. My chances of love, happiness, destiny...my chances of anything real just ripped away, like they were nothing, like I was nothing."

The tom before her was silent.

"It hurts to lose your family, I know," Frozenleaf went on, "But do you know what it's like to lose everything else?"

Greyson sighed. "I never knew...I'm sorry." He took a deep breath. "I want to tell you about myself." He sat down and stared deeply into her eyes. "I Washburn to my parents, I believe they were Kayla and Tony, both cats of the Bareskins, but they both left their Bareskin homes to raise Lilac, Paula and I. By the time we were six moons of age, Tony went back to his owners. He missed his life, but we knew he loved us- he came back to visit us every moon or so. He and Kayla taught us to hunt and a few fighting techniques."

Frozenleaf nodded.

"But," he said, and then swallowed. "The peace would not last us long. Kayla went out hunting for us one leafbare and never returned. Our father went out to look for her and came back with her limp body in his jaws. She had been caught in a fox trap, and her neck had been snapped. That night after burying her, he went to his Bareskins and never came to see us again. The three of us believed he died, because we also never saw him in his garden after that."

She blinked sadly. That was so unfortunate.

"Paula began observing the Bareskins. She was going through a lot of grief, and one day she told Lilac and me that she was going to be a pet. So she went to the entrance of a Bareskin nest and meowed. I guess she was pretty gaunt because they exclaimed something in horror when they saw. She was taken in right away, and then it was just me and Lilac." He took a ragged breath. "And you know the rest, we found this cave, Lilac got sick and she died. Then it was just me."

"But you get to see Paula, right?" Frozenleaf asked.

"Not often," Greyson sighed. "But when I do, it never feels like enough. I've lost every part of my life that was important to me except me dignity. If I stay here, I'll still have it."

"I'm sorry for trying to force you," Frozenleaf mewed. "I'll just go..."

She trailed off and started going on the slope of the hill but before she could go over completely, a loud growling sound emitted from around her and she turned.

She was staring into the dark eyes of an enormous fox.

"Frozenleaf!" Greyson cried.

**So...I know a lot of stuff happened in this chapter so forgive me for that, and that it was a cliffie. Please review!**

**~Destiny**


	28. Chapter 27- A fight and a surprise

**I keep forgetting to mention this, but this part of the story and the upcoming one will most likely be shorter than Part One. I felt the need to tell you. :) Thanks for reviewing and enjoy this...fight...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. **

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Frozenleaf screeched as the fox lunged for her. Dodging, she stumbled a few tail-lengths down the hill, and her back right paw jabbed into a stone. "Mouse dung," she yowled, pain flowing through her leg. The fox looked at her, anger flaring like a dancing flame in its eyes, it's eyes so consumed in hatred.

She noticed how her claws slid out, how clean and sharp the reaction was. She knew she had to defend herself, but she vowed she would not use them to kill. Pain attacked her brain, freezing it like it had done twice before. The world fell apart piece by piece, falling into the darkness that left her paws dangling in nothingness. Claws closed over her throat, preventing breath, but she soon realized that the fox had grasped her around the neck, and it lifted her.

Suddenly the fox's head jerked to the side and Frozenleaf was released. Coughing, she turned to see why the creature had dropped her.

Greyson threw a blow to the fox's face. His eyes were lighted with fury, his lips peeled back to reveal sharp white teeth. When the fox attempted to grab him, he twisted out of reach and struck it again.

Frozenleaf looked at him. "Back off! I can take it!" Her fur quivered and the headache that had attacked her just moments earlier pounded in her head. It was like a signal, that she needed it.

"You're in no condition!" shouted Greyson, jumping away from the fox's snapping jaws.

She ignored him and leaped into the fight. Her teeth closed around the fox's shoulder, and it howled to the sky in pain. Greyson immediately took advantage and clawed the flank of the russet-furred creature. As the stones under their paws were starting to be flecked with blood, Frozenleaf released her hold on the shoulder and went for the neck.

The fox saw the attack coming and tilted its head to keep her from getting any grip. She landed upon the rocks and the fox whirled around, knocking her with its one untouched shoulder and extending its paw to hit Greyson tail-lengths away. The blue-eyed cat stumbled, and the fox lunged.

Frozenleaf rushed forward and clasped the creature's tail in her jaws. With a shriek of fury, the fox whirled and now stood over her, a murderous look in his eyes.

"Why do you want us?" she asked, as if the animal could understand her. "We're nothing but flesh and bones." She lashed out a paw to strike her opponent, but it lurched to the side and she went off balance. Frozenleaf heard the fox snarl ravenously, and braced herself for its teeth.

But the never came.

She looked up, only to find that the fox was now facing her companion, and it looked mad. Greyson seemed to be messing with it, trifling its temper.

"Careful," she called through gritted teeth. "It's a nasty one."

"Definitely determined to kill us," he meowed back, skidding slightly.

The fox would not be messed around with any longer, for it swiftly dove for the throat of Greyson. He yelped, and jumped as if he were a frog. Now both of them stood across from each other, the fox the only thing that separated them.

"Greyson!" Frozenleaf yowled.

"I'm alright!" he yelled.

Just as she was about to run forward, a flash of green appeared beside Greyson, as well as agony in her mind. She paused and fell, writhing. Her eyes went unfocused, and the world spun around her.

But one thing was clear in her sight.

Greyson stumbled forward...

...as if he was pushed...

...and fell directly...

...into the jaws...

...of the fox.

Frozenleaf had no clue who the screams belonged to. All she knew was that the wave of blood that washed over the stones was sure in mind before she saw nothing but blackness.

And a pair of green eyes.

* * *

She was awake, but could not bring herself to open her eyes. Every part of her hurt, and her paws throbbed. She moaned, like someone would come for her, but she knew she would have to continue in her own.

Frozenleaf slowly opened her eyes.

The land was dim around her, and it took her a heartbeat or two to realize that she was lying in the sunset of the day. The clouds above were dark gray, but the snow had stopped completely and there was a small patch of pink sky somewhere off in the distance.

Frozenleaf managed somehow to push herself off the ground, though in the process, she fell off balance and made contact again with the stones under her, but once she was up, she was alert. The memories rushed in, flaming the blood in her veins. Her eyes darted back and forth, up and down, until her gaze rested on the edge of a pool of blood.

It was dark on the rocks. She feared to look up any further for what she was about to see, but she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye, and jerked her head up.

Greyson, eyes closed, paws twitching, chest heaving with the struggle of life. His neck had a deep wound, a lot less mangled and gruesome than the body of Lionfire. Frozenleaf swallowed at the memory and padded forward swiftly.

"Greyson!" she exclaimed.

His eyes opened, when the rested upon her figure, he let out a shaky breath that soon expanded into a sigh. His voice was a croak. "Frozenleaf..."

"You're alive!" she said, feeling tears around the rim of her eye. "You'll be okay. You'll survive, I promise. I-"

"Don't promise," he rasped. "You'll only break it in the end. "You can't fix me. I can already feel myself...slipping away."

"No," Frozenleaf cried. "Don't die, please don't leave me! I'll be alone again! I can't bare myself when I'm alone! I'm my own nightmare in the waking world. I'll ruin myself if I have to face the future alone! I need you! I need help!"

"Please," Greyson whispered, "You don't need me. I couldn't leave a stinking cave for the me." He blinked, blue eyes starting to cloud. "Don't be sad. Be happy. I am happy, for I am not afraid to die." He voice grew quieter. "I will see my family. See Lilac, see Kayla, see Tony. My whole family will be waiting for me."

"How do you know?" Frozenleaf asked.

"There is a place my mother would tell us about, where cats go after they die to watch the world below them." His gaze rested on the sky. "To us, the place is the sky of stars in the night, but it is really so much more..." His eyes closed again.

"How...how do you know about that place?" Frozenleaf asked, stunned. He was speaking of StarClan. She knew he was.

"Before she was a kittypet, my mother belonged to a Clan of cats, far from here. She ran when she was very young, I do not know why, but she always told us stories of her family, and a lot about her brother." Greyson's breath went shallower as he paused. "I...believe his name...was...Hail...bla...ze..."

"Greyson," Frozenleaf mouthed.

"I...will...watch...you..." Greyson whispered.

His body went still.

She was nearly as motionless as he.

Despite his shocking words, Frozenleaf could not bring herself to think about it. She stood over his body, gazing sadly at his blue eyes, so clouded, so empty, but she knew, deep in her heart, that he was happy where he was.

So why couldn't she feel happy herself?

Ever so suddenly, the same freezing pain as felt many times before stalked her. She could feel the cruel claws around, waiting for the right moment to attack her. She braced herself for the pain of being trapped in the cold, where nothing happens but agony ripping and tearing away her insides and carving a morsel out of her. Anger swept through her body.

"Why?" she yowled. "Why me? Why most you take everything I ever cared about and shatter it over the stones?" She looked down at Greyson's body. "At least you have StarClan. They have abandoned me in the snow!"

Her claws unsheathed and she ran them over the rock she was standing on. Thin white marks formed under. Her claws led the marks to the pool of Greyson's blood, and as soon as she touched it, the icy pain ambushed her.

She tried escaping it. She tried to control herself, but all she was capable of was drowning in her own screams of terror.

**Okay, so that was shorter than most of my chapters.**

**First, I know I'm a horrible person for killing Greyson but it had a meaning, which will come soon in the story. You can tell me you're angry, because I expect you to be, but don't wonder why I did it.**

**Second, the thing with Hailblaze. I know you are all incredibly confused and will give me a bunch of questions asking how this is relevant to the story. Well, not to this one, but it is for a future book: Hailblaze's Story. Connections, connections, how Warriors is full of them. Am I right?**

**~Destiny **


	29. Chapter 28- Closer to the nightmare

**Thanks for reviewing! I know it was a disappointment to have Greyson die after meeting him so recently. I know a lot of things in this story are disappointments. Hang in there, and enjoy this next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. **

Chapter Twenty-Eight

She had buried his body right in front of the cave, under the soft ground he must've walked on so many times. The ground, that he and Lilac must of walked on so many times. She had sat there for many moments, doing nothing, until she drew in a sharp breath, and let out shakily. The night was fresh when she left over the hill, knowing she had to move on, but not wanting to encounter anything. It was a cruel cycle.

The hill above the cave was beginning to give way into flat ground, and the snow that had been avoided on the rocks was starting to appear again. Frozenleaf walked slowly, head low, paws freezing on the ground. With each bound to get over the snow, the more fatigued she would feel, and it was not just the repeated movement that made her feel so tired.

Thoughts flew through her head, many of which she couldn't remember asking after only seconds. But several stood out, making her head hurt and her heart beat faster.

_Greyson's mother was Hailblaze's sister? __That cannot be possible! She was a kittypet! But he said that she used to belong to the Clans...why would she run? _Frozenleaf growled out herself. _It's...it can't be true! You're delusional! You could not have heard him right! _

The questions on the subject swirled in her head. She really didn't know anything about Hailblaze's past other than his mentor's name. Could it be true? She wished someone would give her answers.

But there wasn't a someone for forest-lengths.

And then there was another thought, one that ripped at her lungs, making it difficult to breathe. The question circled her life at that moment, and with all the pain that it caused her, it seemed that the question could also end her life:

_Everything I want to make right...everything I would ever care about to change for, only ruins me even further. The forbidding to become a warrior, Nettlepaw, a chance at a new life...Greyson. Why must it all be taken away? Why must it all hate me, like I ever did something to fate. _

Looking back on her kithood, she could no longer remember where it began. The words of her father were clear in her head- that she would be better off dead than a warrior- but she didn't know what had hurt her the most. The actual statement, or the realization that no one cared? Or was it something deeper?

She would drive herself insane wondering. She ran away to escape the madness, the guilt of her foolish deeds, but it followed her. It was always behind her...and it always won.

She lifted her front paw out of the snow and winced as she saw she had left a stain of blood in it. Her pads were cracked.

_Great, _she thought, _now predators can follow my tracks. _The last thing she needed was another fox to remind her of her failure.

_I either kill or let others be killed... _

She walked much longer, leaving behind prints of blood. She knew by now, the frostbite Greyson had told her about was acting up again. It was well past moonhigh. The stars were dulled by a thin layer of clouds that floated by overhead.

_The stars are there, _she thought, _but StarClan isn't. _

She knew it wasn't long after, though it felt like it had been seasons, when the silhouette of a tree faded into sight. She ran ahead, wanting to sleep for a moon. The snow was flying over her head, the blood staining the ground under her paws.

Frozenleaf reached the tree and gripped the bark with her long, hooked claws. With all the energy she had left in her, she hauled her held to the first, snow-dusted branch, a thick one that was large enough for her to lie down on without having to worry about falling off. And as soon as she was down, she was asleep.

It felt like only instants before she woke up, aroused but the noise of a growl. She raised her head, looking down to see if anyone was in the snow below her. All she saw was the white ground and her bloody paw prints leading to the trunk of the tree.

_Perhaps it was in my mind, _she thought, _I'll just go back to sleep..._

Just as her eyes closed once more, a deafening yowl pierced her ears and a large force knocked her from the branch. She crashed down with a cry and landed in the cold white snow, waiting for her. She jumped up immediately, alert, looking up and down, and side to side, until she saw it.

A golden tabby cat, sitting on the branch she had just been thrown from. His shoulder and neck fur was fluffed out, and his teeth were bared in a ferocious and threatening snarl. "Unbelievable," he hissed. His voice was incredibly low and deep, "I leave my tree for only a small portion of the day and come back to see a puny little she-cat sleeping on my branch." He unsheathed his claws. "_Tsk, tsk." _

Frozenleaf stared at him in horror. Thinking two things: _Oh no! What have I gotten myself into? _and _Not another cat! I have to get out of here before I ruin everything! _

She took a step back, but she bumped into something. Whirling, she saw another golden tabby, this one much larger.

"I see you've met my brother," the first tom said. "It's really your unlucky day, isn't it?"

"Who-who are you?"

"Now, now, she-cat," the cat on the tree chuckled. "Don't get your whiskers in a knot. We're only here to teach you a lesson on territory."

"What should we do with her, Arrow?" asked the second tabby.

Arrow lifted a paw. "The same thing we do to all intruders, Blade."

He launched himself from the tree, yowling. Frozenleaf squealed and dove to the side. Both cats faced her now, backs arched and teeth bared. Arrow spat at her. "Keep still she-cat, this'll be over before you know it."

He lunged again, this time managing to pin Frozenleaf to the snow. Blade came around and drew his claws over her face. "Some more scars to add to your...collection."

"What?" Frozenleaf asked.

"Don't play dumb with us," Arrow hissed, "It's clear you've been in a fight with a fox before. Why don't you show it?"

They each threw a series of blows to her face and her shoulders. Each of them sent a trickle of blood down to the snow, staining it scarlet around her. Frozenleaf cried out in pain as each strike was delivered. _But I can't...fight...back...It will hurt...me forever. _

Suddenly, agony struck her body, the same freezing, icy, sudden pain that had come across her so many times before. She shrieked, startling back both of her attacking enemies. Piece by piece, everything around her fell from white to black and a new hue engulfed her. It was the color of blood. She tasted it rushing up in her throat. She cried out again.

"_Don't fight it," _a voice whispered. _"Use it." _

Frozenleaf stopped her screaming, she spat onto the snow beside her and slowly, everything around her fell back into place. Arrow and Blade stood before her, still surprised at her sudden outburst. She got to her paws, and faced them, copying their savage position as they had before, with fur raised, lips peeled back and claws out.

"Come at me," she whispered.

Arrow's look of anger returned and he leaped. Frozenleaf dodged him, and then evaded Blade as he rushed at her. With a grunt, she lashed out her paws and battered at both of them, scratching up their flanks and shoving them away. Blade was the first to retaliate, and he escaped her next blow and barreled into her, claws tearing into her flesh. Frozenleaf jerked her shouldefree getting out of his strong grasp and jumping up. She lunged for his foreleg, which was exposed, and took it in her teeth while using her hind claws to dig into the soft flesh of his belly.

Arrow yanked her away from his brother, and held her by the scruff. Just as he shook her, she attacked him, diving at his chest and hitting the ground on all fours. She backed up, keeping sight of both toms as they struggled to their paws.

"You're right," she hissed. "I did fight a fox." She twisted and kicked a leg out into Arrow's stomach, "What do you think of me now?"

Blade snarled and ran at her, Frozenleaf, sprang directly over him, and instantly after she landed, crashed into him from behind, pressing his face into the snow.

She sensed that Arrow was behind her- the slight crunch of the snow gave him away. She waited for him to come closer, pretending she was unaware of him. The tom had finally leaped and she whipped around, just in time for him to land on top of her, but she had been prepared. Her legs were locked into place, and falling to the ground with Arrow, she twisted easily out of the jumble, and left the two of them sprawled out in the snow.

"Pretty kitty puts up quite a fight," Blade croaked. "What if we just go back into our tree and you just carry on. We never did anything."

Frozenleaf growled, "What do you think I am, stupid? I'm not going back out in the snow to freeze to death. Don't think you can get yourselves out of this situation. You messed with the wrong she-cat."

Arrow looked at her. "Blade might be done," he snarled. "But I never lose a fight."

He sprang to his paw and lunged, paws outstretched. Quick as an adder, she held up a leg to soften his blow. She still felt his claws sink into her neck fur, but they didn't go deep enough before she stumbled back.

"Neither do I," she hissed, and she went for his neck. As her teeth connected with his flesh, he let out a yowl of agony, one to drown out all other sounds, and crumpled to the ground. Frozenleaf watched as the blood expanded out from his neck into the snow.

Blade gasped. "Brother!" he exclaimed, a mix of denial, shock and fear in his voice. His gaze snapped up to meet Frozenleaf's and he growled, "You, you are a sick, cruel cat. You'll pay for-"

His words were cut off when she slashed her claws over his belly, ripping it open. Death came instantly.

Frozenleaf put her paw down and watched as the two dead cats lay motionless in the snow. She barely recognized the bite fluff it had been moments earlier. Now it was crimson red, and enough to snap her out of her trance.

_No, _she thought, fear welling up inside, _There's no way I could have done this. I-I promised I wouldn't! I thought - I can't kill! What is wrong with me? _

She stumbled back, eyes still locked on the bodies. She couldn't tear them away, as much as she wanted to. The edges of her vision went blurry, in a faint white haze. The land swung back and forth until all was enveloped in complete darkness.

**Poor Frozenleaf. Who's ****ready to find out what's going on? That's in the next chapter. If you want it, then you're going to have to review. :)**

**~Destiny**


	30. Chapter 29- Join me!

**Welcome, my lovelies, to the chapter of your doom! Some of you will find great joy in these words, others, great disappointment. What will you feel? **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. **

Chapter Twenty-Nine

It was endless.

At least it seemed that way. She continued falling deeper into the abyss of sleep, and it got so black that she was surprised that it got even blacker as time wore on. For all she knew, it could have been forever, or it could have been heartbeats. It felt like nothing, as if her existence was fake, but yet she was aware of her life pushing on her from all directions, and though she could not feel it, she could sense that it was there, the pain, surrounding her, but daring not to touch.

And then she landed.

The ground was soft, but the world still vibrated around. Slowly, piece by piece, she started to see what stood around her. Her head pounded as well as her heart, struck with the sudden realization that she was not where she had been before. The snow was gone, and had been replaced with a marshy, damp forest floor. A dark, depressingly murky sky hung low to the dead ground, which she had just then realized was littered with pools of blood and tufts of fur. A distinct, lewd odor hung in the air as if it was going to crash down upon her at any moment. It was very cold, colder than a night of a leafbare blizzard, but yet, at the same time, it's sodden atmosphere gave of a sense of humidity. There seems to be no sign of life for tree-lengths, and that is when she realizes.

"Welcome, Frozenleaf."

She leaped to her paws and whirled, facing a pair of passonless green eyes. They held a warning to deadliness, almost like an omen, a sign to get out. A cat revealed itself; a white she-cat, the same size as her, and covered in scars.

"I have been expecting you."

Frozenleaf bristled, curling back her lips. "I am not deserving of such a name as Frozenleaf, as I realize now. Perhaps _Frozenhear _is a better fit. I know that what I have done is wrong."

"Yes," the she-cat growled delightfully, a slight rasp to her voice. "Wrong enough, in fact, for you to come here, and meet me, in ideal of being trained, we can take down the Clans. Isn't that what you want?"

"No!" she yowled, causing the she-cat to flinch. "I want nothing more to do with hurting any cat. I walk alone now, alone and in cautious light. I wish to leave now, and don't ever think about coming to me again."

"What do you mean, 'don't ever think about coming back,'" the she-cat asked with an innocent tone. "Don't you know who I am? Are you that mouse-brained?" She threw her head back and laughed. "You see, Frozenleaf, I have a story very similar to yours. I was, like you, hidden in the shadow of my brother. He was always more superior to me in the eyes of all others." She paused. "Even my parents. Oh, especially my parents, but I got my revenge. You see, Frozenleaf, when you are treated like a nuisance, when really you are greater than all. Do you really think that these blind cats, these _oblivious, idiotic, _warriors that call themselves Clanmates deserve so much as a second chance? Their lack of wisdom, forbid them to be watched over by the ones of StarClan." she spat out some saliva. "Well, they are in for an hellacious experience when we attack, and give them a dose of who we really are. Us Dark Forest warriors, we were never born with our dark sides, no, we were made, made by those cursed warriors. Just because we were smaller, ambitious, and expected much from life, they saw it as a weakness that needed to be out to end. They have no idea what is to be coming for them once we punish them for their deeds."

Frozenleaf shivered at the thoughts of it all, but then froze in place, she turned her head slowly towards the white she-cat. "Your story, it is just like mine. I too was treated lower than my brother, and my parents hated me. Who-who are you?"

The she-cat grinned devilishly. "You are so clueless. The answers have been in front of you all this time and you are too dumb to see them? Look at me! I am your reflection! I, my, friend..." she paused, "...am your future."

Frozenleaf's jaw dropped, her eyes wide as the moon at its fullest. "But," she meowed, "but that's impossible! I'm still alive! And weren't you in StarClan?"

"StarClan? Ha!" the white she-cat laughed. "It was an illusion. Thanks to my strength in this domain, I have been able to reach you dreams to turn them to nightmares."

"No, that can't be! Even if it was an illusion! How are you here, if I'm alive!"

"You were meant all along to join in with me so we can rule the forest," the white she-cat hissed. "I am your strength, your bravery, your dark side. Together, we can go back to the present and show that little StarClan who they have put fate up against." She unsheathed her claws. "I've done the things you have always wondered about. I am your anger that fueled you natural skill. The problem is," she said. "You are the live one. I am simply an idea, ready to break from the mind and reach the real world. We are powerless without each other."

"What do you think I am, stupid?" demanded Frozenleaf, voice a screech. "I told you that I want nothing to do with your merciless plans. What I have done was wrong, and the regret I feel for it will lead me down a safer path. I am leaving. I hope you fade from existence, because I will not allow it."

The white cat hissed. "You're unwise! You are nothing without me! I think I would know what is best for myself, and lucky for me, I was given the ability to watch you, and finally, the moment you shine through to your true potential, I am strong enough to finally truly meet with you."

"I don't care," Frozenleaf snarled. "I will not accept your _help. _I don't deserve what you offer."

"I don't deserve such a petty statement," the white she-cat growled. "Do you not know the things I have done? You should be proud to have one as strong as me. Do as I say! I've gone through too much to let you slip away. And if you don't agree now, the pain will get worse until it is unbearable. You will want to die, and when you do, don't think that StarClan will have forgotten what you've done. One day, you'll be here again with me. I cannot be outrun."

"Go away! I have suffered too much pain to have you following me now! You're weak! If anything you need me, but you're not going to get me!"

"Weak?" echoed the white she-cat. "You're calling me weak? I've killed so many without you there! Goldenwillow, weakened to death because I was beside her. I was the one that left you with Squirrelfur! And it doesn't end there! Your father was made deputy because Mousewhisper was hurt in battle! But it wasn't a ShadowClan cat the wounded her! It was me!"

"That doesn't scare me," Frozenleaf spat. "You could have done much worse."

"And I have," the cat meowed, eyes blazing. "_I pushed Greyson into the fox!" _

Suddenly, it all disappeared around Frozenleaf, the ground, the blood, the sky. All that was left was herself. The white cat before her. Her claws slid out, her muscles bunched and she leaped through air.

The two cats collided in a jumble of claws and white fur. Teeth sank into shoulder, claws into flank until Frozenleaf was left pinned.

"You foolish she-cat," her future self growled, gripping her shoulders tightly.

"Get off me!" Frozenleaf yowled and she twisted, hind leg coming up and pushing the other to the ground. The white cat's claws unhooked and she was slammed onto the forest floor. Frozenleaf ignored the blood pulsing from her shoulder and pinned the white cat's own. With each hearbeat, her claws went deeper.

"Look at you!" the white she-cat exclaimed. "No warrior training, and this is what you can accomplish. You may not like it, but you were meant for this! Accept it and join me! Together we will take back our honor when it was stolen by our blind Clanmates and rule the forest!"

"Never!" she snarled. She raked her claws along her exposed belly, opening a wound for each claw. The white cat yowled in anguish and twisted, trying desperately hard to escape, but to no avail. As swift as a snake she lunged, and when her teeth connected with the neck of her opponent, a shriek tore from the white cat's lips, her paws thrashed and her evil eyes glazed over. Limp, she fell.

Frozenleaf jumped away, looking at what she had done. A certain sense of triumph rose in her blood, but along with it came a touch of despair, asking her, what had she done now? Another cat dead because of her anger, because she couldn't control herself.

And then it started. It began with a creepy cold feeling crawling up her spine but quickly spiraled into something much, much worse. The ice froze over her brain again, trapping it in a cage of merciless pain. Agony reached all tips of her fur, from her nose to her tail. It felt as if it was burning her with ice, except this time it was different. This time, she _liked _it. Her gaze drifted down to the place the cat she had just killed laid, but she was gone.

_No...no...NO! _

Frozenleaf realized what had happened, and it had happened so quick.

_Stop it! You have to stand strong! Don't let it capture you! Don't let it- _

Her thoughts were cut off as the land around her faded to blackness. The pain of the attack still gripped her mind until she woke again, collapsed in the snow. She looked up to face her surroundings, and saw that she was where she had killed Blade and Arrow, for there bodies still laid there untouched.

And then it ended.

Frozenleaf heaved herself to her paws, raising her head to look up at the sky, which held the blackness of night. She looked at the tree before her, the snow, her own paws. Everything looked different now, and when she again rested her gaze on Arrow and Blade, she felt a smile sneak upon her lips.

_There we go, _she thought, and aloud she purred, "Simple as that. Sorry Frozenleaf, but you're dismissed. Ice is taking you place."

**Thank you for reading this disappointing/exciting chapter. I hope I lost no readers! *gulps* Review please!**

**~Destiny **


	31. Chapter 30- Running

**So you all had mixed reactions in your reviews for what happened last chapter. Really, I was expecting about 75% of you to yell at me, but since none of you really expressed hate towards me for my cruelty towards Frozen** - **no - Ice. So, thank you. I know that this story has just been plunging into a depressing storyline, but you guys have made it fun to write. Thank you.**

**Plus, there will be a nice surprise later. ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors **

Chapter Thirty

She ran.

It had never felt nicer to feel the cool wind in her fur as it had been that moment. She had awoken in her temporary den beneath the tree, and most of the snow had been melted. Only slight patches of slush still sat upon the grass. Ice had never known how beautiful it all was until she turned. The sky looked the bluer, the air crisper, the sun brighter.

She had not known why she had not turned before. She was much happier, without such a burden on her shoulders. She was happy, as long as she chose to be happy.

Ice had not begun her "work" quite yet, but the moment she would, she would be well-known. Cats would fear her the heartbeat their eyes fell upon her. They'd beg for mercy right before her paws, but that only made them cowards, and cowards deserved to die. And if they tried to fight - ha! - they had no idea what they were up to, and as soon as they felt her claws, they'd become the cowards that deserved to die.

However, she could not begin with the small weaklings, and work her way up to the vicious rogues. No, she had to begin big, find a cat as feared as she would be and kill it, so that she could take the place. She knew that there would be others to come to her, and ask to be of her service, but those cats were just cowards behind a mask. She'd kill them to.

She'd spare a few, but those would only be the ones who were smart enough to avoid all eye contact.

The eye contact would be the deal closer.

Ice had thought about her new life for a moment, as she ran the plans through her head. She knew there would be at least one who would question her motives, ask why she would be so cruel to do such a thing, and that is when she decided. She was evil. Now, many would argue that they were hatching their diabolical schemes for the good of the cats around them, but she knew herself it wasn't true. She was aware that killing was wrong, and that was what made it right.

So now, she ran, out on her quest. She would spend her days in hiding, she herself would avoid the contact of others, until she has found her ultimate prey, her prey that would turn the tides. The best place to look would probably be a Twoleg place, where many cats - kittypet and rogue - roamed. She hoped it would not take her long, for since she had left her birthplace, she had not seen the neighborhoods of the naked creatures with their giant wooded nests and monsters that seemed to her as tamed pets. One had to be close.

Her paws thumped lightly on the ground, and just by hearing how delicate and nimble the sounded while in a sprint, she knew that she was the type of sneaking around, and hiding about. She was the kind that sparked mystery in others' minds but they daren't speak to her. She imagined the Twolegplace to be full of cats and dogs, some of which shut up behind a fence, others out and about, challenging all or approaching no one. She would be one of those cats as time wore on. They'd all recognize her small stature and her cold eyes when they walked past. But none of them would know what kind of strength she possessed until she showed it to them. It was a cruel cycle.

And that made her smile.

The first night rolled along, bringing with it a thundering black cloud. They drew over the darkening sky, threatening all who roamed below it of a coming storm. Ice, though fearless in her new look on things, knew that even she could not conquer something as powerful as a storm. She slowed her running pace and search the fields. It had begun to rain by the time the giant red Twolegnest sitting fenced in the middle of the moor. Huge animals with black eyes and large spots to match allowed the selves to be drenched in the water falling from the sky like it didn't bother them.

_Strange creatures... _she thought and advanced to the open entrance of the giant red nest. She would not provoke them. She may had been brave and confident in her skills, but it was only an idiotic thing to mess around with animals so enormous.

The inside was large and open, towards the end of the nest, something that looked like it could trap any animal hung from the wall. Everything inside was made of wood, though it wasn't the wood that you'd find from trees. A path way connected to the roof of the nest formed a walkway to the top. It all looked very peculiar.

_I'll never understand why Twolegs build these things, _she decided, gazing at all of it.

It turned out there were already two cats inside the barn. One had fled before Ice had even processed it's presence there, and the other didn't leave until he felt Ice's claws over his belly. He ran as well. Ice was prepared to run after him, but didn't realize how tired she was until then. She let them run and searched the nest for a comfy spot to curl up for the night.

In the corner, there were stacks of straw, rolled up and fastened. Ice found a place between two bales to sleep and laid down, tail-tip touching her nose.

That night was a peaceful one, but the future days would bring chaos, and oh, was she excited.

She was up and running the next morning. There was no signs of the cats that had fled from the nest, but it was not of use to look for them. The sooner she found the Twolegplace the better. Her paws were tingling with the need to flesh beneath them. She would have to act soon.

The rain left the grass wet under her steps. The cool water that touched her pads reminded her of frigid, harsh weather that had trapped her in confusion. It was funny to think that one as brutal as she were to enjoy the warmer air much more than the cold. These thoughts provoked her all through her journey of the day, and when night slithered its way in, it had hardly angered her that she was still not in reach of the Twoleg domain.

But then, alas! lights in the distance to shine so bright and yellow through the settling darkness. Ice felt her lips twist into a cruel smile. The thoughts of her past slowly ebbed away into pure delight of the future. Yes, a future so delightful for herself, but oh, so painful to others. She didn't have to hide her pleasure in the images. She was evil, and she knew it.

The neared the lights until the nests became visible as magnificent square shadows in the night. A Thunderpath cut its way toward her and into the neighborhood of bare-skinned creatures. She stood on the hot black surface, damp with the rain of the previous night's tears and looked ahead.

"Alright," she murmured, half to herself, half to the world, "let's get down to business."

**So...that was short. **

**Okay, this one was a filler, probably boring, probably rushed, but we're getting there. Hey! Be excited the surprise is coming in a few chapters! I bet all of you can guess what it is. :) Review!**

**~Destiny**


	32. Chapter 31- Pussy and Rain

**Yay! Many reviews last chapter! thanks you guys. The surprise is coming in a few chapters. Trust me, I'm excited too. :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors **

Chapter Thirty-One

Though in the darkness, the Twolegplace boomed with life. Every few moments, a monster would roar down the Thunderpaths laid out between each row of nests. Even with their bright yellow eyes that seemed to see everything in front of them, they made no movement of recognition when they saw Ice.

But the monsters weren't the only things. A dog barked in the distance, its rough voice echoing across the entire Twolegplace. And the night shadows of trees swayed as breezes emitted from the cool air. Not to mention that the land was lit by the tall sticks that held solid lights at the top.

Ice padded forward on the narrow, hard paths that ran between the large Thunderpaths and the Twolegnests. Her pads itched more with each paw step and knew that she had to begin her work soon, or she'd go mad. The first task had to be simple. She just had to look around and pay attention to the activity. There was certainly going to be one cat, or group of cats that would be the most feared in the Twoleg neighborhood. Then she could get involved with them and the rest is just killing. She had run this through her head so many times, she knew it was perfect.

Hunger clawed at her belly, but she knew that squirrels and birds around here must be smarter than the ones in the forest, especially with monsters and other animals walking along all the time. She would find food in the morning, but for now she had to find and nice warm place to rest for the night. She rounded a sharp corner.

There was so much to work through, but hey, she had time.

At the sight of a lone willow tree, Ice raced across the Thunderpath. It's leaves were stringy and undeveloped but just by the way it moved in the darkness gave off a pleasing beauty. She caught the sight of a patch of her, hanging loosely on a twig at the base of the tree. She smiled at the sight of it. Had cats got into a fight here? Were they feared cats others would tell her to look out for?

She curled up, resting her head on her forepaws. Hopefully she would find out soon.

* * *

The morning arrived just as quickly as the night left. Ice stretched her mouth into a gaping yawn and stood, ready to begin her work. It could take a few days to just find a single cat to observe, so she would have to move quickly unless she would to find herself head to head with a couple of Twolegs.

She managed to find a squirrel, though it scampered up a tree before she could even think of crouching. Hunting was never a strength of hers, and she wasn't ashamed to admit it, but by now, she was ravenous.

Her ears flicked as she caught the delicate sound of a robin bird's morning song. She looked up ahead to spot it bouncing along the front patch of grass before a Twolegnest. She rushed forwrad quickly to get in a good range and then dropped to a stalking position.

The robin hopped and emitted a soft chirp.

Ice slithered forward, disturbing some grass beneath her paws, but the robin was too far to notice. She then began to creep her way towards it, placing each paw nimbly on the ground. she was straight forward when she attacked a cat, why should hunting a robin be any different? So she leapt.

Her claws sank into the posterior of the bird and as it was crushed to the ground. Everything disappeared except for her hunder and the robin. She sat there that very moment and gulped down every piece of meat that was on the puny creature.

A yowl broke her state of mind and something barreled right into her. Ice shrieked, but only in surprise because once she saw what it was, it melted away into pity for the poor-sould standing atop her. It was a plump kittypet with long, thick fur and a smug look in his blue eyes. Everything about him seemed to curve down, his fur, his gave, his mouth and his belly. Ice made no struggle to get up, she just stared at the kittypet with a skeptical look.

"You fool! You do not tred onto Pussy's property without telling Pussy first," the kittypet snarled in a high-pitched voice.

Ice just stared.

Pussy raised a paw. "If Pussy had not been declawed, Pussy would flay you like tuna."

She sighed with a bored voice, "And I assume you are Pussy."

He stood proudly. "Yes!" He battered her with his paws, barely making her flinch. Then he jumped away like she were about to hit him and bent his legs taking a defensive position.

Ice stood slowly and Pussy ran at her. He sprang into the air, but Ice just ducked and let the fluffy tomcat soar over her, just to land clumsily on his shoulders. Ice turned to look at him, very shakily getting up.

"Ah," he said. "You are quick, but not quicker than Pussy!" He started to charge at her again, except this time he didn't jump. Ice stretched out her head and Pussy rammed into it, slamming his chest against her. As he stumbled she spoke.

"Look," she mumbled, "I don't usually show mercy but this is just pointless. I'm not even trying and you're killing yourself. Go back into your Twolegnest and let me finish my robin." Despite her crave for enemies' blood, Pussy wasn't a worthy opponent to anyone, not even himself.

"You are a coawrd, and you will feel Pussy's teeth!" The kittypet showed his disgustlingly perfect white teeth and lunged for her a third time.

Ice's nerves were tingling with irritation. She unsheathed her claws and sliced then across Pussy's chest. The kittypet tomcat let out a gasp of both pain and surprise and stumbled back as the blood began soaking through his thick white fur. His eyes were wide with horror at his pain, but Ice had held back. He would not die, but if this were an oppnent worthy of her anger, oh, how they would crumple to the ground in their dying sensation of anguish.

Suddenly a shout rang from behind her. Ice whirled to see a tall Twoleg female standing at the nest entryway. Her paw was covering her mouth as her gaze found Pussy's bleeding body. A large Twoleg male came charging out infront of her, a long wooden stick in paw. He was running right at Ice, the wooden stick held over his shoulder. Ice yowled at this and turned, grabbing her robin and sprinting away, her paws echoing on the Twoleg path.

* * *

She padded ahead. The morning had twisted into a day of storms with the wind whipping her fur and rain slicing at her flesh, cold and unpromising, but yet it defined her, water, with it's icy force and merciless care. It could turn up at any time, sometimes with warning and other times without. Sometimes, its rage would stir only within the clouds, and other times it would just break through, soaking everything below it with the freezing chill of its touch.

The Twolegplace was a lot less active than Ice had expected. She was looking forward to see the cats of the neighborhood out and about, so she could see them and decide on where they stand and where she needs to start. The cut she had made in Pussy's chest had only slightly relieved her bloodlust and now, only half a day later, she was feeling it rise up again in her body.

Ice walked under a branch hanging directly over the Twolegpath, feeling dry for a moment. She stopped, looking out onto the Twolegplace. Maybe this wasn't going the way she planned, but she was Ice. She could do anything if she wanted, and she would. Soon enough she would find a cat to observe.

And as she thought that, happiness soared through her. Across the Thunderpath, she could've sworn she had seen the shadow of a cat linger on by.

**Well, this was a day late. And I kinda rushed. I never got around to writing over the weekend. But sorry for another filler. I think I'll have things really begin with Ice next chapter. :) Review! **

**And there is a story that I like called Petalstar's Sacrifice by Petalfall11. We want her to continue so vote on her poll for what you want her to write about next! I don't know if endorsing another person's story is against the rules or if I sound kinda forceful, but it will mean a lot to Petalfall.**

**~Destiny**


	33. Chapter 32- Work

**Yay! So many lovely reviews from my lovely readers. It really does feel good to have achieved so many reviews after only thirty chapters. You are all just so amazing! **

**I know, that this chapter is a little sloppy but the last two have been fillers and I just want to move along. Sorry :(**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors **

Chapter Thirty-Two

Ice was surprised that the cat she followed had never noticed her. He was clearly very young, small like her and fur that still had its kit-like shine. He had to be just older than six moons old. She knew that this cat couldn't have been the most powerful in the Twolegplace, but she was focused on where he led her, and wherever it was she hoped it was a place she could begin her work.

Rain still soaked the ground, making every paw step louder than she would like, but still the cat would not turn around. His fur hung loosely off of his body making it clear that he had been out for a long time. This was no kittypet. He wore not a collar, but scars at his ears and legs. He was a fighter for someone so young. Seeing these things made Ice's lips pull back into a strange grin, corrupted by the thoughts of a sweet, bloody fight.

The tom rounded a corner, and there Ice caught a flash of a yellow gaze. She padded quicker, feeling the excitement churn inside her. It took all she had in her not to attack the little cat himself.

He led her to the end of the Twolegplace, where the nests were few. A blue pond, looking spotted as the rain fell upon it, opened to sight behind a giant oak tree. There, beside the pond were two, worn Twolegnests, that looked abandoned. They were both made of a reddish, stone like material and her both distinctly cubed-shaped. She could see a forest beyond the two Twolegnests but it was cut off by a silver barrier that looked difficult to climb. A spiral of gray thorns sat at the top of the barrier, and it looked like no one could get in or out.

The barrier was set at the back of both nests so there was a dead end at the back of the gap between them. That is where Ice saw shapes moving and the little tomcat made his way down.

She ran after him.

Ice stopped beside one of the abandoned nest. She could hear speaking in the alley, but was unable to know the words. Someone made a sound of acknowledgment when the small tomcat arrived. She had to get a better view.

A tall, thick wooded trunk stretched from the ground to the lower roof of the Twolegnest. Ice gripped in with her hooked claws and climbed to the top. It was a difficult task - the rain made it slippery - but she managed to get to the top and look down on the cats.

The small tom huddled under a sheltered area, shivering from the freezing rain. A ginger she-cat, bearing scars over her face accosted him, holding an evil grin on her lips.

"Welcome back, you little flea-bag," she hissed. "Have you caught anything?"

The little cat looked at his paws. The way is body trembled was no longer from the cold, but from fear. "No-no...Sli-slith-slither. There...there was-"

"You look me in the eye!" she yowled, slamming her paw down on the ground.

The little tomcat ever so slowly looked up into her cold gaze. "No, Slither. There was nothing out. Everything was taking shelter from the rain."

"Excuses, excuses," Slither grumbled. "You always blame it on the rain. You're a disgrace."

The cruel words of the she-cat sparked attention within Ice. She did seem pretty ruthless. Sure the camp was a little isolated, but someone like her would be heard around the Twolegplace, right?

"Don't just sit there like a useless rock," Slither growled. "Say something!"

"I...I am very sorry."

Ice leaned even closer. This cat really was ins who spread fear through everyone wasn't she?

"That's right you little runt. You're always sorry."

"Oh Slither," a blue-gray tom said, sounding amused. "Ever since you got yourself those scars you've been acting like the Commander. Drop the act."

Ice pinned her ears to her head. So Slither had been acting? She dug her claws into the wood of the roof, feeling frustration. She had to find the commander. He had to be the toughest.

"Shut-up Riker," Slither snarled. "He deserves this. He caught no prey for us and he's been out since sunrise. I expect him to return with food for us, not drenched fur and a petty apology."

"Maybe if you had taught him to hunt..." Riker muttered. "Let's go, Tyson."

The small yellow-eyed tom nodded and padded away from Slither head down and after Riker. The ginger she-cat looked like a ball of fire, staring after the two furiously.

"Well," she called after them, "I'll tell the Commander! He won't be happy when he finds out that you aren't punishing him for this!"

Ice dug her claws into the wood. Now she had to find the Commander? He seemed to be looked upon, now she just hoped he was worth a fight.

But was he known?

* * *

The rain had passed, and now gaps in the clouds let in fresh golden light onto the Twolegplace. Down the Thunderpath, a Twoleg had a dog on a long, colored rope. Ice slunk around, searching for a cat to question. Only then would she know what to do.

She reached the end of the neighborhood opposite of the pond and the alley. A fresh scent of cat lingered in the thick air. Her eyes swept from side to side until she gazed upon a silver tabby cat, and behind her, a much larger, broad-shouldered light gray tom.

Ice turned her attention towards them.

There was something in the posture or stature of the light gray tom that left her with the suspicion that he was the Commander. He had scars across his face that matched Slither's, and a hint of pond water in his scent.

The light gray tom leapt at the silver tabby and had claws down her side before she could realize what was happening. But by the time the pain had reached her, she let out a screech of agony. The light gray tom muffled her cries with a strike over her mouth.

Ice watched, feeling the need to join the fight, but it was over before she could think about it. The silver tabby let out a final scream before collapsing on the ground. The light gray tom licked some of the blood from his claws and stalked away, seemingly without a thought.

She padded up the tabby. Her eyes were blinking repeatedly, her breath fluttering through her chest and escaping, leaving it still. I've leaned down over the she-cat, who then looked like she had seen her.

"Hello," Ice breathed venomously, "friend. I'd like to ask you one thing...Tell me all you know about the cat who just attacked you."

"I've not...seen-you here...before," the silver cat said, gasping between her words. "Darren does not...like us telling...of him-to cats-that he has-hasn-hasn't dealt with himself...first."

"You're dying, friend," Ice said. "And I can make it go quick or leave you here to suffer. Either way, you're gone. Tell me what you know, and you won't have to endure this pain any longer."

The silver cat considered her words and then let out a sign, shaken by pain. "Very well...he leads...the Alley Cats. Every...stray around here...has hear-he-heard-d-d of them. Some house-c-cats-s too." The tabby slid out her claws onto the grass and tore it up from the ground. Her eyes bulged with agony. "He wants them-em to be...the most feared around...He wants every...one...to sh-shu-shudder just upon...hearing his name."

"I see," Ice said. "And he attacked you because...?"

"He gets...revenge on any-ny cat that refuses...to join him..." the she-cat closed her eyes and then opened them again. "He asked me a...moon...ag-a-ago-o. As...you have prob...ably guessed, I said...no." Her legs stiffened as a wave of pain past by. "No cat...has ever beaten...him before. It'd be...a...mir-iracle."

Ice smiled at the last few words. _Not yet at least. _"Thank you for your cooperation," she meowed, holding up her claws over the silver cat's neck. "Have a nice sleep."

She drew her claws over her throat.

**Unfortunately, this was another filler. I thought I would put more in but I thought with all my ideas it would be to much. Sorry! But please review!**

**~Destiny**


	34. Chapter 33- Darren

**Hey, my wonderful lovelies! Thanks for the reviews! And thanks to SwiftStar1! You caught up! Yay! Anyway, I hope you like this next chapter. :D **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors **

Chapter Thirty-Three

She had followed the scent of the light gray tom, which had actually led her straight back to the alley. She climbed onto the lower roof again, and for the second time that day, peered down on the cats that resided beneath her. The light gray tom padded through, acknowledging any cat that did so themselves first.

It was a ginger tom that actually approached the light gray cat. He had flecks and stripes of black across his back, and a very authoritative look to him.

"Welcome," he said, dipping his head. "Did you find what you were looking for, Darren?"

The light gray tom gave a slight nod. "Yes. Oh, how it feels nice to let my claws free over the body of another. It is my duty to make us feared, Bolt, and I have to say that I love my work."

Bolt blinked. "That's great to hear, sir, but do you think with that attitude that I am the right cat for my position? Shouldn't you choose Slither, or someone that is actually happy to...kill?"

Darren paused and looked at Bolt. "I didn't choose you for that. I chose you for your devotion. As long as we keep your mate and your new kits safe, you are happy to serve us, right?"

"That's right, sir," Bolt meowed quickly.

"Very good. Besides, Pine and Flare could be good for me..."

They walked out of range of hearing for Ice and she growled to herself. _This just isn't the right time. I have to attack when they are more unguarded...and yet paying attention to Darren._

The small tomcat from earlier that day sat in the corner of the ally, chewing a scrawny mouse. His eyes darted back and forth, like he expected somebody to steal his prey. Another cat, black with brown and white spots flinched every time another cat made a sound, and even Slither, ruthless as she was, shot questioning looks to the others when they walked past.

_They don't feel safe, _she thought, _They are unstable. Once I get my paws on Darren, this will be easy. _

A narrow ledge, just wide enough to walk on, wound its way around the Twoleg nest. Ice stepped on it, and slunk across, trying to get a better view of the alleyway.

It was not the best place for a camp. There was no comfortable area by the looks of it for cats to sleep on, and the pile of prey was small, and it smelled foul. Cats looked extremely protective of themselves, not making eye contact with another and each and everyone of them were bony and unkept. Even Darren, who was strongly built.

Ice watched as the light gray tom flashed his gaze from side to side. He was making his way towards a large, green Twoleg thing, where a smell that was incredibly cruel to Ice's nose sat. Whatever was inside was covered by a flat, black item, but it was not enough to trap its pungency. She held her breath.

Darren leaped on top of the green thing, yowled and waited for cats to slowly gather around him. He spoke with a growl to his voice. "I'm sure each and everyone have you have noticed that...we are weak together. One cat is fighting off his brother over there, and another cat is hiding in the shadows over there. I don't know why you don't trust each other, but it is time for us to unite and grow stronger!"

Slither jumped to her paws. "I'm trying to tell these pathetic cats what it is really like to be an Alley warriors! What they need is someone to whip them into shape."

"What we need is more food," a tabby tom snarled. "You don't find much around here."

"Fish down in the pond," hissed Darren, "But food isn't what I think is wrong. Slither is right. You are all pathetic. Have any of you even tried to kill?"

A few cats waved their tails but most of them stood silent and still.

"Well," Darren purred, "Watch and learn." His eyes immediately fixed on the small tomcat. His muscles rippled under his thick pelt as he jumped from the green thing and onto the tiny cat. Darren pinned him without a problem and listened to how he screamed for but a heartbeat, because the next second, his neck was in his jaws and blood was dripping to the ground. The small tomcat was dead within another moment.

Darren dropped him to the ground in a pool of blood.

"That's not how you kill."

Every head looked up to the ledge where Ice stood. She held their gazes and many of them looked away, but Darren bore a hole into her head with his cool blue eyes. "Who are you?" he demanded, voice slick with anger.

Ice shook her head. "That isn't important yet, Darren. I'll tell of my identity once I've done my duty around here."

Once he realized that she knew his name, the light gray tom drew back a few paw steps, but then he regained his challenging posture. "I don't care. You are in my domain, she-cat, and only the cats I approve get in. You will leave, or I will make you."

Ice stared at him for a moment, noting his bravery. "I won't leave, and I'd love to see you try."

Bolt stood. "You dare question our leader?"

_They may be cowards, but they look up to him. _"You dare question me? Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I haven't done anything quite yet, worthy to be known, but in a moment I will, and then you'll think twice about talking to me like that."

"You come into my alleyway," Darren growled, fur fluffing up, "and demand that I look up to you. I'm sorry, when did I die? When did you assume leadership?"

Ice peeled back her lips. She knew that this alley cats were weak, but Darren's ferocity made them seem stronger than they were. She would kill him, and the Twolegplace would know. "Okay. Let's do this the right way. We fight. And once I kill you, this alleyway is mine."

Darren chuckled. "Are you sure on that? Perhaps you've underestimated me."

"No," Ice whispered, bunching her muscles to jump. "You've underestimated me."

She jumped from the ledge onto Darren's back. The impact rang on the top of the green thing as Darren stumbled and lost his footing, tumbling to the ground. Ice sprang away before she could land and then squarely placed her paws to the damp ground.

All cats around flinched back, surprised at her actions. Darren turned to face her and then rushed at her, claws outstretched, aiming for her shoulders. Ice easily dodged and came from the side, shoving Darren onto the ground. He landed in a odd position and gasped and Ice pressed him further into discomfort. Something under his shoulder fur slipped the wrong way.

Ice leaned down to his face, teeth bared into a cruel smile. "I told you," she growled. "You've underestimated me."

Darren attempted in twisting out of her grip but it only pained him more. He let out a sharp cry. Ice felt teeth close around her scruff and in a matter of instinct, whipped one side of herself around and sliced her claws through the air. Riker dropped dead in a a pile of blue-gray and crimson.

Ice's full attention turned back to Darren. She released hI'm and stepped back a few paw steps. "Oh come on," she said, with a fake sweetness to her voice. "You can do better than that. I'm looking for a fight."

"And you'll get one," Darren rasped, getting to his paws. He lifted his left paw off the ground. His shoulder jutted out from the rest of his body, and his face was marked with pain, but his eyes held determination.

The light gray cat sprang at her, but his jump was weak and he was unable to reach far. As he landed, Ice lunged and raked her claws up his belly, drawing blood around her claws. Feeling flesh tear beneath her paws lead a dear satisfaction towards her, so she kept it slow. Darren cried out again.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Ice saw Slither jerk forward. Her gaze snapped towards the ginger she-cat. Slither stopped mid-lunge and backed away.

Ice looked away, off into the distance. What kind of horror could her gaze possess that would send fear into the heart of such a bitter cat?

Her thoughts were interrupted as Darren yowled with agony. Ice gave him a crooked grin. "Giving up already? Well I haven't even begun killing you yet."

His blue eyes stretched wide at her words, and it was true. Killing was only have the fun of causing pain. And she was definitely not done causing pain.

Ice nipped at Darren's ears and clawed her way through his fur. Her forepaws would launch a blow to the muzzle and her hind paws would strike his flank. The alley cats would try to get to her, and each time one of them did, they'd either end up dead around her or fearful for their lives, and oh, how it was easy with all of them weak and frail and cowardly. And Darren by that time was blinded with the pain of his scratches and bites to try to fight back now.

His light gray fur was plastered with scarlet by the time Ice was ready for the kill. She leaned in close to Darren and in a single breath, whispered to him, "I hope you had a good time here. It's time to go."

Swift as an adder, her jaws snapped over his neck and she crushed his throat in her teeth. The only sounds around her were the screams of the alley cats and the gargling noises from Darren. Once he had stopped thrashing, Ice dropped him and watched for a few moments as the blood trickled from his mouth and spilled from his wounds.

She then turned to the alley cats, who all shrunk back at her glare. She stared at them for a few heartbeats more and then spoke.

"There, I've killed your unworthy leader. I hope this is a lesson to you all that you do not try _anything _against me." She eyed Darren's still body. "Unless of course you want to end up like him. Darren built this...gang off of his own strength. The only reason you are all known by the Twolegplace is because he was a murderer." Her green eyes flashed back to the cats. "But now, we are all to be murderers." She began to stalk back and forth before them. "If any of you dare step out of line, I'll be more than happy to shred your throats. There are no excuses when I'm around. If any of you dare disobey orders or question me, your tails will be hung on the walls. You will be given very specific orders that you are to follow and accomplish. If you fail at a task, I'll gouge out your eyeballs and begin a collection." She flashed an enticing smile at the cringing cats. "And if any of you show any sign of weakness, at all, I'll cut out our hearts with my bare claws. Any questions?"

The alleyway was silent.

Ice turned away. "Very good."

**Wow. That was pretty gruesome...**

**...**

**REVEIW!**

**~Destiny**


	35. Chapter 34- The start of Commander Ice

**Reviews! I thank you for them! Thanks for the reviews! Yay! And for people who have an account, read this and don't review, I have one question for you...why not? :) **

**And guys, I appreciate SO MUCH how you guys love this story despite how depressing and dark it is, but I beg of you, constructive criticism will always be welcome. I want to perfect my writing skills. :) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors **

Chapter Thirty-Four

The alley cats were lined up against a wall of one of the Twolegnests. Ice paced before them, asking of them their names. When she reached Slither, the ginger she-cat lashed out a paw, but Ice grabbed her and slammed her against the wall.

"You are lucky I like you," Ice snarled, pinning Slither. "Don't screw that up for yourself."

She released her and continued. No cat tried to attack her after that.

Once she reached the end of the line she spoke up for everyone to hear. "Alright! Now I know you, and the next order of business are rules. I am your leader and you are to call me by the name of a leader. I will decide when kits are ready to join the fun, and if you are healthy enough to continue when injured. I will assess your battle moves against one another, because I would beat you if I fought myself. Those that lose will be scarred and sentenced to extra training-with me. Something you don't want to go through." She looked at the many pairs of frightened gazes and smiled. "The first assessment is today. First up, Rosemary and Drake."

A tortoiseshell she-cat and a black tom stepped forward, eyes on the ground. They were evenly matched, about the same size and well-muscled. Ice could see that they were two of the strongest alley cats.

"Stand there," Ice said, flicking her tail at the center of the alleyway. The two cats obediently walked there and faced each other, looking unsure. "Go."

They hesitated, but eventually, Drake rushed at Rosemary, claws unsheathed. The she-cat yelped and fell to the side, surprised at his speed. Drake leaped on top of her, pinning her down the the hard floor. Rosemary wriggled a leg free and struck the black tom just hard enough to make him shift his weight, and with another leg free, she threw several blows until he was off of her completely.

The faced each other again. Rosemary's shoulders bled from being pinned and Drake's face and flank were scratched, but they weren't done yet. Drake jerked one way but when Rosemary went the other, he twisted and bowled her over.

_That move...it's so familiar. _Ice saw yellow eyes flash in her mind, but for only a heartbeat. She watched the two again as they swatted and hissed at one another. Rosemary swung around, gathering enough force to hit Drake in the muzzle. After regaining his balance, he retaliated by lunging and sinking his teeth into her scruff. With a grunt he threw her away and as she staggered, he was able to get a better grip on her and take her down.

Ice narrowed her eyes. This was lasting much longer than she thought. Were they stronger than she realized?

Rosemary cried out as her head struck the ground. She tried escaping, clawing at the floor with her paws but Drake had her down too tightly. She stopped doing anything for a moment and gazed past her opponent to look at Ice. The tortoiseshell she-cat gulped.

"I submit," she squeaked.

Drake let her up. Ice beckoned Rosemary and the alley cat approached with her head bowed like she was an apprentice being scolded by her mentor. She sat and Ice unsheathed her claws and slashed them over Rosemary's chest, like she had done to Pussy. Rosemary yowled and crumpled to the ground in pain. Ice kicked her a mouse-length or two and called on the next batting pair.

"Thorn and Dewey."

One by one, a cat fell and another triumphed until the lone was through. To her surprise, Slither was one of the losing cats. She seemed very unfocused during the fight.

_We have no time for grief, _Ice decided as she thought about Darren. "The losers of the assessments, to the corner. I will speak with you in a moment. For the winners, you are all to hunt. I want each and every one of you to return with something edible. Don't bother returning until you have caught something." Her eyes flashed. "And don't think about running. I'll know, and then your blood is mine."

Quickly, the alley cats tumbled over each other to get out of the alley way. A golden she-cat and two kits remained. The she-cat was Flower, Bolt's mate. "Um, Commander Ice. May I stay to nurse my kits?"

Ice glared at the two scraps of fur that stood at her paws. Each of them were built strongly. They would make fine warriors for her, so they might as well eat. She looked back up at Flower and gave a swift nod.

"Thank you, Commander Ice," she replied, herding her kits a nice shaded spot in the alley.

Ice turned to the others. Each of them sat, staring intently at their paws, tails flicking with uneasiness. In each of them, a spark of fear Ice sensed. She padded before them for a moment, and then spoke, bitterness edging her tone.

"Can any of you tell me why you failed?" she asked.

All were silent.

"I see," Ice snarled. "You're afraid. Yes, you have all right to be apprehensive of me, but here's the issue." She slithered up to them, eyes blazing. "I'm not here to lead cowards! I don't care if you're scared! I don't care if I have in my power to kill you! You will speak when I say so, so speak!"

A brown she-cat, known as Ginger, whispered softly. "We are sorry, Commander Ice. This was all a very drastic change in atmosphere. Darren had been killed mere hours ago, and suddenly...you know..."

"Is that an excuse I here? An excuse against _me?" _asked Ice.

Ginger's eyes flashed with realization. "No, I didn't mean-"

"Look," Ice growled. "We are all very new to this. I'll let you off with a warning. But this is a warning to all of you. Any of you slip up-"

"You'll kill us, hang our tails, gouge out our eyes. We know."

Slowly, Ice turned. Slither wore a cold expression as she glared at the ground beneath her.

"Slither..." a tom, Dragon whispered.

"No," Slither hissed, facing him. "I don't even care! This _Commander Ice _killed Darren and assumed the position by force! A position that would have been mine! Everyone knows that Bolt wouldn't take it, and _I _was Darren's favorite! But it was ruined!" Her gaze snapped to Ice. "Just because this murderous little dog-breathed, Twoleg-minded she-cat just had to feel blood run under her paws today!" She took a step towards Ice. "We don't deserve this! She should just-"

The ginger she-cat was cut off as Ice barreled into her, claws ripping at her flank. Slither grunted and pushed Ice away and scrambled to her paws. She crouched ready for any attack Ice could deliver.

"You..." Ice snarled, shivering. "You have no idea what I've been through! My life has been a whirlwind of pain and suffering, and when I finally find who I am, you go and tell me I'm making the wrong decisions. You don't need to tell me. I know."

"Then why do you keep threatening and hurting us! What did we ever do to you?" Slither spat.

Ice growled. "This is who I am! I've gone down a long path before I could finally accept myself! And as long as I feel no gulit, I can live with myself." She glared at Slither, ready to sping when a sudden fatigue washed over her body. As her every limb felt like it was weighed down, her body went cold.

She turned away. "Wow, Slither. You got lucky twice in the same day. It's unlikely that it will happen again. Watch yourself from now on. Your pride won't save you next time."

* * *

The hunters all returned with something in their jaws. Everything was scrawny and had little meat on the bones, but it was food and enough for everyone to share. Ice ate a mouse alone, though, watching everyone skeptically as they devoured their own prey. Slither ripped a piece of meat from her squirrel. She looked about ready to explode in a fury of flames. Ice knew she was upset, and she herself was too. It had all began so much rougher than they would have liked.

She pushed away her mouse, sighing. She couldn't remember the exact time she was really as down as she was then. Everything she described to Slither, that was everything she knew. Ice had no exact memory of her past, only that it was filled with pain and misery, and that the only way out was through causing pain and misery back. She was a new cat now, and glad of it. Would relearning her past be a good or bad thing?

Maybe it wouldn't be the best idea, but something in her mind was longing her to find the memories. But she wouldn't go back, she would have to find something to trigger her mind. Closure, it was called?

She wasn't losing herself. She was still the same Ice. She still laughed at the thought of killing and battle. It was a game to her, but maybe these alley cats would teach her a thing or two.

The next day, she would make sure the whole Twolegplace knew who she was. She would make sure that they knew that everyone under her power was dangerous. If she had to kill six or seven cats to make herself heard, so be it. She didn't quite have a plan yet, but it would come to her soon.

As the sun dipped under the horizon, turning the sky a mild shade of orange and pink, Ice ordered two cats, Ivy and August to take the bodies of Darren and the other cats killed by her to the pond. She noticed some cats leaving the alley to go mourn for them, but didn't stop them. Her entire body ached with exhaustion, though she hated to admit she was tired.

And as the day closed with a clear, star-lit sky, Ice climbed up onto the ledge, curled up and fell asleep to the sight of the alley cats below her.

She was their leader, and this was her place now.

**I was actually considering killing Slither, but that would put a death in like, every chapter, and I like her. So she'll stick around for a while.**

**And guys, don't be afraid to put out some constructive criticism. I'm not like Ice. I'll take it without killing you. :) Review!**

**~Destiny**


	36. Chapter 35- Mercy? Nah

**Thank you for the reviews. We will have the surprise coming up in only a few days...you will love me. XD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors **

Chapter Thirty-Five

A quarter moon went by quickly. The Alley Cats were developing into something that Ice was beginning to feel proud of. They had a fresh-kill pile, below her ledge that was fully stocked and all of them were better fed now. That plus the scars she had been giving them made them look as deadly as she was.

She hadn't killed anyone yet, and the cats seemed like she would be down upon them at any time, but she would not kill warriors as long as they obeyed her. She didn't need large forces, but it was good to have them.

In fact, with them, they were already rising into the most feared group in possibly worlds away from the Twolegplace. While Ice stayed and trained the weaker cats during the assessments, the superior cats went out and proved that each and everyone of them were worth being feared. And Ice had gone out a few times on her own and every cat that was out would shrink back at her appearance. They knew she was at the head of it all.

A few cats were out that very moment, scaring and scarring others. Ice sharpened her claws on the wall of the Twolegnest. They screeched against the nest and she lowered her paws to look of them. They looked ready to kill. Turning to look at the training, she saw a she-cat, Zoey, and a tom, Shadow battling it out. Blood splattered at the ground and the blows they threw were powerless and seemed to be weighed down by exhaustion. Ice padded towards them.

"Now, now," she said. "Don't kill each other, that's my job. And since no one won, you will both be hunting extra time. I'm talking three pieces of prey. Nothing less. Go rest for now, and lick your wounds. But don't expect me to go easy on you later." Her last few words were harsh and she showed her teeth to define her meaning. Zoey and Shadow nodded and limped off.

Bolt was next to her. Ice had kept him as the second in command despite his reluctance at violence. He could be aggressive, especially when someone mentioned his family, so Ice was to keep them around. She only hoped that they were going to be strong enough when they were bigger to be worth the sacrifice.

"Yes," Ice said.

"I've just noticed that you've shown some mercy there," he replied with a certain highness to his voice.

Ice snapped at him. "Mercy? They have only until later of the day to clean and dress their cuts before I send them away to hunting. I am not a merciful creature, Bolt."

He laughed, voice edged with uneasiness. "I know, Ice. But that's the nicest I've ever seen you. Of course I'm going to notice the mercy there."

When she looked at him he flinched. She glared at him through narrowed eyes and then realized. Just like everyone else, he was afraid of her, but he was going to make an effort to be a companion to her. Her lips curled into a smile. He had to be pretty brave to do that. "Bolt, how _observant _of you to see that. Good eye." She pushed her face up into his. "But get this in mind. Not killing you isn't showing kindness. Don't you ever, for a single heartbeat think that I'll ever be your _friend. _I compare you to mice. Trust me, I could have taken over this Twolegplace by myself and let you all starve to death under the command of Darren, but I didn't. That, my deputy, is luck."

"Deputy?" asked Bolt sharing a look of terror and puzzlement on his face.

"Scram," she hissed, unsheathing her claws. Bolt nodded calmly and backed away.

She sat. Question her, will he? What's wrong with calling him deputy? After all, he was her second in command. Of course, the word had just slipped out of her mouth without thought, but why would that matter? She huffed.

She needed something to clear her mind. Even as leader, there was always something overwhelming her, whether it was Bolt or hunger or anger, and in this case, it was all three. She would hunt.

Ice stood, and as she padded out of the alley she called out to everyone that she was going out and disappeared from their view.

The morning was misted with the slightest of rainfalls. The air was thick, but heavy with the scent of the arrival of newleaf, and with it was the prey. Even in a Twoleg neighborhood, the scent was carried along abundantly in the wind. Squirrels and birds seemed to hop around at every corner, and Ice raced after all of them. The thump of her paws tended to scare them away faster than she could get a good look at them, but a few times, she would have the prey at her claws.

She past by the yard of Pussy, the kittypet she had maimed in the chest. Through the clear barrier of the Twolegnest, she could see his plump figure and a giant scab over his front where she had let her claws loose. Upon seeing her, Pussy ducked away, fear dancing in his eyes like ashes in a violent conflagration. At this, Ice grinned and continued ahead.

A small rat bounded through the fog into her ken. Ice stopped and moved forward slowly, not wanting to startle it. The creature bent over and started licking its wet fur, a perfect time for Ice. She crouched, prepared to leap and readied her teeth and claws for the kill.

She sprang at the rat and with a bite to the neck and a squeal to follow, the prey was dead. Along with a crow and pale brown squirrel she had hunted, she had three pieces of prey, ready to bring back to her alley.

Her anger was less now and her thoughts no longer swam with the continuous reassurance to herself that she was a merciless cat. She no longer had to remind herself. And that made her feel good.

The prey was a little much to carry all at once but she managed. As she crossed the yard before the pond, she saw a ginger and black shape and another totally black. Ice stopped and squinted to see through the mist.

Bolt and Drake.

Ice wound around them so they did not see her and climbed an overhanging willow tree to sit an listen to their conversation. What could they be talking about that couldn't be said before everyone else in the alley?

"We need to get rid of her!" exclaimed Drake. "We'll all be dead if no one does anything soon!"

"What can we do? Everyone who is actually brave enough to face her wouldn't be enough to defeat her. You know how quick and nimble she is. She'll dodge every blow and climb away. Not before killing us of course," Bolt said.

Ice widened her eyes. They had the nerve to speak about her that way? Did they even know what kind of risk they were taking? She continued listening.

"Well, what now? We can't just stand around being afraid of her while she slowly kills us all off. The longer we wait the less of a chance we'll have in kills her," Drake spat. "Right now, it's one against twenty, but soon enough, it'll be one against five. You know it will, Bolt."

The ginger and black tom nodded. "What if she gets Pine and Flare?" he asked quietly. "I'll have nothing."

"We have to fight back now, before it's too late," Drake hissed.

"No one will agree," Bolt said. "They will either side with her for strength or back down. She's a living nightmare to us all. It's kill or be killed now."

"Everything was so much better with Darren," grumbled Drake. "Maybe we were all half-starved, but at least we didn't have to be as guarded and afraid as we are now."

"Even Slither is scared. I never though I'd live to see the day..."

"You know what we need," Drake growled, "Is some outside power. Not everyone out there knows how dangerous Ice really is. Maybe if we build a strong enough hold, there won't even be a need for a fight."

"But who do we ask?" Bolt questioned. "Most house cats aren't allowed out of their houses until the warmest season, if at all. And there aren't many strays that don't already know what she is capable of."

They both stood silent for a while. Then Drake piped up. "I know who can help us."

"Who?" Bolt asked.

"Spike."

Bolt shook his head. "No..no...there's no way he'd help us. There isn't even a cat alive that has talked to him before. He's never talked to anyone." Bolt paused. "My, he's not even looked at any cat before."

Drake dug his claws into the grass. "He has to help us. He must know the danger we're all in here. Come on. Spike has to know that one day she'll find him."

"He doesn't usually stay in one place for too long," Bolt argued. "None of us will ever find him."

"Spike's the only one that will have the capability," Drake urged. "He's fearless!"

_Well, _Ice thought, _That's because he hasn't met me. _She jumped down from the willow tree and had Bolt pinned before they could even comprehend she was there. She held a paw over his throat. Drake yelped and leaped back.

"Ice!" Bolt yelled. "Uh...we weren't talking about you."

"Don't lie to me," she hissed, pressing her paw deeper into his neck fur. Bolt's eyes bulged with pain. "Just tell me where this Spike is, and I'll let you go."

"I-" he cut off, coughing. "I don't know...he's never..._ack..._talked to anyone...or-or anything."

Ice growled.

"It's not a lie," Bolt gasped.

"Sure it isn't," she said, raising a paw above his head.

"No, no, please! I beg of you, don't!" Bolt screeched. "I don't know where he is! Promise on the name of-of-of anything you've ever loved and cared about. Please! My kits and mate need me!"

Ice considered him for a moment. "Eh," she said, "alright." She released him and let him up. "Your kits will be very valuable to me. Better give them a father to raise them. But this is your last chance, Bolt. _Last chance." _

_"_Oh, thank you, Commander Ice, you won't regret it," Bolt said, scampering off.

"I better not," she hissed, and began to follow him back to the alleyway.

"Psst," Drake said. Ice turned.

"What?"

"Bolt really wasn't lying. No one has ever known where Spike has ever really lived, he's been around so much, and even so, no one's seen him." Drake gazed at her for a moment. "But there is this one place he's been spotted on more than one occasion. It's a tall oak tree on the other edge of the neighborhood. You can't miss it."

"Really?" Ice asked. "Very well." She snaked forward and hit him to the ground.

"What?" Drake demanded, fear in his voice. "I just told you where he may live! What are you doing?"

"Don't act so surprised, Drake. This was coming. You also talked about me behind my back just as badly as Bolt did," she clawed him over the face. "And since you told me this information...you're of no use to me anymore." She smiled down at him wickedly. "Goodbye."

He screamed as her teeth closed around his throat.

**:) Okay, tell me everything you thought about in this chapter. I won't say what I'm looking for specifically, because maybe, you already know. :) Review!**

**~Destiny**


	37. Chapter 36 Something that holds her back

**Thanks for the reviews! I bet a lot of you are going to love me after this. And just by this author's note you already know what's going to happen. Possibly. I hope. Alright, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. **

Chapter Thirty-Six

"Bolt, you're in charge until I get back," Ice told the ginger and black alley cat. She said in a much lower voice. "And if you think this is your chance to come up with a battle plan or something like that, I really will kill you."

He nodded and sighed, "I know, Commander Ice."

"You'll be the first."

"I know."

Ice dipped her head at him and waved her tail at the alleyway. She turned and padded off, leaving them behind.

When they heard that Ice had killed Drake, a lot of them had nearly no emotion at all. This has become such a normal thing, that their brothers and sisters could be killed,,and the worst they'll feel is a slight pinch of grief, and then it's gone. Bolt had stood there, with his head low, and Ice had ordered him to tell the Alley Cats what he was doing. Ice had ended his statement with a threat, which of course, all of them took seriously.

Bolt and Drake were half right. She would kill everyone in time, but that would only be because they were all too weak to be upon this world then. She was cruel, and she knew it, but this was how the universe welcomed her. She would hold it forever.

Drake had not been wrong. The tree was certainly far off. She had left at sunhigh, and by the time she saw the enormous oak through the rising fog, the Twolegplace was dark under the clouds. It had to be late afternoon.

The tree had a trunk so wide that stretching herself in front of it wouldn't equal it's length, and it was so tall she imagined it stopping in the clouds. The lowest branch had to be quite a hassle to reach, and she saw that it did not reach out horizontally, not only that but the bark was old and rotting from the rain. Any grip that Ice could get on it was ruined as the wood chipped away at her claws.

_Why would Spike come here? _Ice thought, and then her mind flickered with realization. _That bastard! He must've been lying to they could stay behind and plan a rebellion! _

She was nearly going to turn away to storm her way back to the alley but something caught her nose. A scent of a Twolegplace cat. It wasn't a kittypet scent, nor was it smothered with the odor of an Alley Cat.

Ice turned back to the tree. So Drake was telling the truth.

She still felt no regret for killing him.

She rounded the tree, where the rain had not hit the trunk as strongly. Here, she was able to get a better grip on the bark and claw her away up. Her muscles were screaming for a rest by the time she reached the branch, sprouting upward and squeezing her against the tree, but once she got her break, she did not mind.

Now all she had to do was wait.

Maybe it would only be for moments, and maybe it would be for days, but if this Spike was the only cat that could possibly stop her, she would do anything. Nothing would stop her reign on the Twolegplace, and when the time came, it would spread to the outside land, where cats burlier and braver would dare challenge her very presence, and wish they would not.

The dark gray sky of late afternoon clouds soon faded to blackness. Wind that soon ruffled the land pushed the fog and mist from the sky, revealing a blanket spotted with silver stars, but she would not behold the beauty of the night. Her eyes were fixed upon the ground, for any movement through the darkness would be her purpose of this quest.

The darkness around her soon grasped her in a sense of calmness; she began to fall asleep. Ice raised a paw to hit herself in the face and just for a split second, her eyes opened.

And in that split second, she saw a cat.

Alertness shot through Ice at the presence of this cat, dark gray. He walked at an angle towards the tree, his face and eyes shaded by both the shadows of the night and his long fur that grew over his gaze. His limbs were only lightly muscled and he walked wit a limp. Ice prepared herself for a fight. If this was the only cat that could stop her, he could be much stronger than he looked.

Spike reached the tree and looked up, revealing amber eyes, round like full moons. He didn't seem to see Ice, for he simply looked away and yawned.

She spoke. "Hello there, Spike."

The dark gray tom blinked. Ice was surprised at the blankness of his expression. He was not angered to find this strange cat in his tree, nor was he confused by it.

She made her way down as quickly as she could and sat before, claws unsheathed and smile bitter. "I've been waiting for you."

He blinked again.

_He either doesn't really talk to anyone, _Ice thought, remembering Bolt's words, _Or he's an mouse-brained idiot who forgot how to speak! _"This can take a while or just a few moments, Spike."

For the first time, the dark gray cat spoke, "I'm sorry, I just have absolutely no time for deranged she-cats I don't know."

Ice was taken aback at his words. Despite his frail appearance, his voice was deep. Very deep, but once she had processed what she had said, her surprise molded into ire. "Watch yourself. Unless you'd _like _to feel my claws on your throat."

Spike sat, tail curling over his forepaws. "So, you're evil. What screwed you up?" He asked nonchalantly.

Ice jumped. "You mouse-brained son of a badger! Do you even know who I am? Or will I have to rip your heart out of your very chest for you to take a hint?"

Spike seemed very amused at her fury which only put her on edge even more. "Oh, I've heard of you, _Great _Commander of the Alley Cats, but I've taught myself not to fear fables like yours."

"_Fables?!" _

"Now I've asked you a question: what screwed you up?"

Ice bristled and ripped the grass beneath her to shreds. She crouched, about to leap at this overly-confident tomcat, but something stopped her. It was like an invisible barrier, strong enough to hold back her power of anger and instinct of killing. She didn't know what could have been robust enough to cage her will to fight him. It could have been a voice inside her head telling her to have a little fun before proving to this Spike what she could do, or it could have been much more.

But she would have fun.

Ice sat again before taking a deep breath and glancing at Spike sweetly. "Oh, tom. Maybe I am not what you would expect out of a cruel, heartless cat. Do you think that there is a deeper meaning behind it all?" She tilted her head. "Perhaps some ambition of far off dream that I was willing to go to the extremes for to accomplish? Well, tom, there isn't. I am doing this simply because I enjoy being evil, and while many would never admit their deeds as deathly and destructive, I do, and I take pride in such a thing."

"Interesting," Spike hummed, sounding bored. "Thanks for sharing, she-cat, now I have some dreams to have and a morning to look forward to so go and scamper off to bother some other cat."

He began to walk at her but Ice blocked his path.

"We aren't done," Ice said. "You asked me a question, now I get to ask you one."

Spike stared at her. "Whatever. I'm fair." Sitting, he angled his ears at her.

"Why do you talk to no one?" Ice asked.

The dark gray tom before her narrowed his eyes at the question. "Well, no one has approached me. Not since the day I arrived here. I am too much of a mystery, and others are scared to solve it. They fear I have too dark of a past to be as isolated from the neighborhood as I am."

"Well, is your past dark?" asked Ice. _What are you doing? You're here to frighten or kill him! Not have a conversation like two friends catching up! _

"I don't think so," snarled Spike. "I just answered. It's my move now."

"You think this is a game?" Ice demanded.

"A truth for a truth."

"How about a truth or I'll kill you?"

Spike let out a deep _mrrow _of laughter. "You wouldn't dare, White," he chuckled.

Ice scowled at the nickname, and hissed back. "Is that a challenge? You think you can stop me? Well that's what everyone else seems to think."

"Really? Why would they mention that?" Spike asked, though he answered the question himself when he saw the look Ice have him. "Because you're evil. Well tell me White, for this is my turn, why do you want to cause pain within and without others?"

"Because it is delightful," she answered simply. "And if you don't like that, than you can just fight me."

"That's why you're here," Spike realized. "Sorry for being so slow at that. I assumed you were hit in the head on the way up the tree."

Ice hissed.

"But I won't fight you," Spike added. "I walk alone in this Twolegplace. I couldn't care less if you kill every cat here."

"Including yourself?" inquired Ice.

"That's hard to say," replied Spike, looking off. "Of course, I don't know my purpose world. Long ago someone told me I would find it, but not yet. Why did I trust those words? Was I just trying to make the best of the time?"

Ice watched him as he thought. She knew right then and there, no matter how much he angered her, he would never get her to attack him, and it would drive her crazy wondering why. But he couldn't answer, he couldn't know, not anymore than she did if anything.

And he was the first to use her own arguments against her. She saw in her mind, images of cats on the ground, scarred and bleeding, begging her to spare them, and half the time, she'd refuse. So why was it Spike, who didn't beg her that she just couldn't killed for the life of her?

She found her paws leading her away into the darkness of night, leaving behind Spike and that large oak tree.

"Where're you going, White?" she heard him call.

Ice didn't answer. She broke into a run.

**DUN DUN DUN. I bet most of you can guess who Spike is by now. He plays a big role in the third part of this story. I hope you all enjoyed! Please review! **

**~Destiny**


	38. Chapter 37- The truth

**Ha ha ha! Today is the day, my lovelies, today is the day you finally see if you have not seen already! I predict that most of you will love me forever. Well...for a while at least...**

**Anyway, what are we to see here, you ask? I'm sure a lot of you can guess, but for the rest of you, read to find out!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors **

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Flower and Bolt led their kits out before Ice, worried looks on both of their faces. Pine and Flare, both golden-orange tabbies had totally different reactions to what was about to happen. Pine looked frightened and uncertain, and Flare basically was jumping out his fur in excitement.

"Can't you see," Flare meowed to his brother. "We're about to have our first assessment with Ice. She can kill absolutely anything and anyone!"

"That's what I'm afraid of," Pine replied softly, looking up into the sharp gaze of Ice. He flinched away when she bared her teeth. Out of the corner of her eye, Flower glared at her, but Ice ignored her.

"Okay, kits," she hissed. "I don't have all day. We have simple rules here. Don't lose. One of you will go straight into training with your parents." She flicked her tail at Bolt and Flower. "But the other will be training with me. You don't want that. Trust me."

"I do!" Flare exclaimed.

"Trust me," she repeated. "Okay. Slither will be assisting me here. I don't work well with kits."

Flower leaned into Bolt. "Neither does Slither."

Ice glowered at her, and she shrunk back. Both she and Bolt padded off to the side to watch the training, and Slither's scarred ginger figure came in beside Ice. Pine and Flare took a ready position, and Ice noted the determination in Flare's gaze and the fear in Pine's.

"Go," she growled.

Flare jumped right into action, paws outstretched. An excited yowl escaped his mouth has he barreled into Pine. Pine shrieked and flailed his paws around helplessly while Flare dealt some blows.

"Oh, stop it!" spat Ice and Flare obediently got off of Pine. The smaller kit looked deeply ashamed, but even so, it was clear he was still not at all fond of the fighting.

Slither turned on Ice. "Why did you end that? Flare was doing perfectly! You should have let him send a few more stinging strikes before stopping them."

"Slither, dear, if there's anything I know from fighting, it's that the fun isn't in the victory. That's where the satisfaction comes from. Yes, the fun comes from the slicing and the tearing and the blood running below the paws." She tossed her head. "All Alley Cats must learn from the first assessment that their place is in a fight, but how will they be able to enjoy their work without learning to first?"

The scarred she-cat bristled. "We also have to teach them that there are not second chances in battle. Pine was the weaker cat. Oh, where was the merciless Ice I had always known who would watch without a care, cats killing one another?"

"She hasn't gone anywhere," Ice snarled. "And I'll prove it to you if you don't believe me." She shoved her face into Slither's. "No second chances? I have given _you _plenty of chances when I could have killed _you. _But I let you live."

"Again," Slither sang, wearing a smug expression. "Merciless. Come on, Ice. This isn't about me, and this isn't about Pine and Flare. It's about you."

Ice was going to attack her. She really was, but Flare's cough stopped her. "We were, uh, kinda in the middle of something..." he trailed off as Ice's glare abruptly rested on him. "Um...sorry...Commander Ice."

She sighed quickly. "No, no. You're right. Let's get back to work. Pine, this is your brother you're fighting here, not a dog, so stop acting like you're head to head with one of those slobbery beasts." She shot a warning look at Slither who just gave a smile right back.

"Go," she hissed, and the two cats clashed again. This time though, Pine was the first to move. His first few blows were clumsy and powerless, but once he got the hang of it, he had his brother pinned in no time. Being larger, it took hardly any effort to roll away, and once he was standing, Flare sprang onto Pine's back.

Flower looked ready to jump in there herself to separate her fighting sons and Bolt looked rather uncomfortable, wanting to get in there, but at the same time, fearing the knowledge that Ice would once and for all kill him. Ice narrowed her eyes at the ginger and black tom. _Funny, one moment he's willing to die for his family, and the next, he'll leave them behind if it means it is not my claws he dies at. _

She made quite an impact on others, she realized.

Pine launched himself at Flare, but Flare dodged just slightly and crashed down over him. Pine raked his hind paws over the belly of his brother, which was enough to shift his weight and wriggle away. For a moment they just stood, swatting at each other the way kits would, for they were kits, and then went back to diving to pin each other and twisting to escape.

And then, she saw it, the pools of blood around them, blotching the faded ground. Ice cried out for them to stop, and both kits looked up.

"What now?" Slither demanded, sourly.

"There's too much blood for kits like them. I'm trying to assess them, not kill them," replied Ice. "Pine, Flare, go let your mother lick your cuts. Flower, some cobweb should help." Her gaze snapped sharply onto Slither. "And don't you dare think this is mercy."

"Sure it isn't," Slither mumbled, padding away.

"Who won?" Flare asked, dodging the tongue of his mother.

"None of you for now," responded Ice, and she sat down, suddenly feeling really tired. What has gotten into her? She would not admit, but Slither was not mistaken. She really was refusing to hurt and kill. Her threats were empty and meaningless. It had been nearly a half moon since she met with Spike, and everything she felt when she first faced him had not worn off.

Bolt was next to her. "I'd like to thank you for sparing my kits from more pain."

"Is it really something to thank me for?" Ice asked miserably.

"It is." He looked her deep in the face. Puzzlement crossed his gaze. "Commander Ice, you don't look well, are you alright?"

"I know you are only taking concern to make me forget about ever hurting you," Ice muttered, not bothering to sound questioning. "But I'm going to be honest. I'm rather exhausted, and-" she cut off as she felt and choked sob rise in her throat. Hunching over, she pushed the cry down and heaved.

Once Ice had calm down, she looked over with Bolt who stood looking really uncomfortable. Wincing, Ice ran past him and climbed to her ledge, where she laid down, and placed her paws over her ears.

What was wrong with her? Why was she acting so strange since she met with Spike? It wasn't just her behavior either, her mind raced with different images that she could not comprehend. She saw things like tall trees and a vast land of stones and cliffs, but why?

Why, why, why?

Peering out from under her paws, she watched the alleyway below her, as a few cats ate, some trained, others talked. Slither stood alone, licking her claws.

She never used to have a huge problem admitting to things. She knew she couldn't take on everything in the world and win, she knew she was doing everything for herself, not for "the good of others" like some would say, but she had never liked admitting mercy. She wanted to be everything besides it, and now it was growing within her, and maybe one day, she wouldn't be able to handle herself any longer.

Her gaze swept away from the alley and out onto the rest of the Twolegplace, where the pond, blue and round was like a gate to the rest of the world. Somewhere out there, Spike walked, the one cat that could stop her without even trying. Without a claw or a tooth, or even his words. His very presence, and now that she knew he was there, wherever there was, his strange power would keep her from anything against him or anyone.

But wait! Ice looked back down at the Alley Cats, blood freezing as the realization came upon. They all believed Spike was the one who could end her terrifying reign, and she had not completely lost herself. All she needed was all the strength she had left, and with it, she could stop this.

Standing, she looked off into the distance, where his tree stood. She could kill Spike.

* * *

Her paws led her quickly off in the direction of his oak tree. She had not told the Alley Cats where she was going, but she would be back before realizing she was gone. It had to go quick. Ice loved causing the pain, but this kill couldn't wait.

The night had arrived by the time Ice saw the tree. Her paws slowed her to a stop. Claws unsheathing, she started again, this time slowly. She had to catch him by surprise.

She could see him, curled up in a heap of matted dark gray fur. She crept slower, waiting for the excitement to rise in the blood of her veins. She felt everything. The grass below her was dry and prickled her pads. The night clouds hovered over her, watching her every move. She even sensed the shadows on her pelt and the glint in her eyes as she raised her paw over his sleeping body.

Her claws descended.

Something burst inside her mind and rang in her ears, spreading icy realization over her entire body. She fell back. Her mind was grasped with something sharp and strong.

She...couldn't...do..it.

Her claws found her own body instead, starting at the side of her face and raking down to the end of her back. She groaned as the pain flowed with the scar she was making, and through her corner of her eye, Spike jerked awake.

Ice removed her claws and looked at them, seeing the crimson blood drip from the tips. She closed her eyes and hissed. "Why can't I hurt you?"

Spike was silent for a long time. "Is that you, White?"

Ice snapped open her eyes and glared at him. "Of course it's me! Stop asking obvious questions and tell me what's wrong with me, you mouse-brain!"

The dark gray tom just stared at her. "Oh, White..." but that was all he said.

Ice held back a sob. "Why are you so confusing?" she cried. She gazed helplessly up at him. "Nothing about you adds up. No one talks about you, and yet they all know your name, for one thing."

Spike sighed. "It isn't my name. They just call me that because of my fur. No one knows my real name. No one knows my story."

"Then, I'll be the first to know then," Ice growled. "You're telling me. I'm losing too much of myself to just let this all happen." She blinked. "I see images in my head, I feel weird things every time I think of you. So you are the only one who can tell me what's going on."

"I don't know how I can," Spike replied. "I've been feeling the same things as you, White. Tell me about yourself."

"You want to know something?" Ice spat. "Fine. I like to kill, I lead the Alley Cats and I'm evil, but even so there is no way I'll ever be able to kill you. That's all I know about myself, now it's your turn."

Spike flinched at the intensity of her pleading voice. "Very well. When I was a kit, I was the energetic, unpredictable, happy one of the three of us. But one day, I didn't know what life was anymore." Spike sat. "It's easy to say that I was neglecting everything I had. My entire family was alive and well, and the cats we lived with were also in a peaceful state."

Ice narrowed her eyes. As he spoke, something clicked within her mind.

"But, I couldn't find that peace myself. I was out of place, where I was. It looked to others that I was neglecting everything they set me up for...neglecting everything that I was supposed to do, and they saw it as a weakness. My siblings hated me, my parents and I drew apart, until I felt that I was just...alone. That there was nothing I could ever do to make myself feel good again without hurting others."

She dug her claws into the grass. Why was this all so familiar?

"I was wrong. There was someone that understood. I wasn't alone anymore, but that's when I knew what I had to do, and it pained me to think that the right decision would separate me from such a great friend. I had to run away, White. I couldn't stand their teasing and doubt any longer, and she gave the courage to accept my decision, and what I was to face because of it."

She gazed into his amber eyes. Who was talking to her? Who was he? _Who was he? _

"So we went out together, me and her. I tried the hardest I ever had before at anything just to stay strong around her. I loved her more than I had ever loved my own mother and father combined. I made a vow to myself that I would meet her again but that's never going to happen. And now I regret ever leaving." He paused and she realized that tears threatened to slip from his eyes.

"I found this Twolegplace, the nearest on from home where no one would recognize me. My first day I fought off a couple strays, and since then, no one would ever look at me."

_That's why they think he could stop me. They think we're evenly matched. _

"Perhaps now I'm free, free from everything I tried to escape, but being free meant leaving the one cat I truly love behind." Spike sighed and whispered, "I'll never forget you, Frozenpaw."

And suddenly. It all came rushing in, so quickly that Ice leaped. From her first memory to that moment right then. The sadness, the jealousy...the blood and the murdering. She knew it now.

"_Nettlepaw!?" _Ice screeched.

**OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!**

**So uh, for the people that didn't know, WAZZAMMMM!**

**And for all of you, REVIEW! **

**~Destiny**


	39. Chapter 38- Damaged Identity

**You all happy now? You all love me? Keep Nettlepaw in mind, because you probably won't be very fond of what Ice tells him in this chapter. I'll make you a promise. Nettlepaw ****_never _****dies in this story. So don't worry about that! Thanks so much for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this next chapter! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors**

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Spike- or Nettlepaw -flinched back at the complete shock in her voice. She looked just as frightened as he did, if not more. She was gasping in something that was either horror or astonishment, or a mix of the two.

He was trembling. "How do you know my name?"

Ice was speechless now. No words, not even a sound emitted from her mouth. She was now holding her breath, waiting for him to realize.

Nettlepaw narrowed his eyes at her. "Am I supposed to know you?"

Now she was speaking, "You just spent many moments talking about the one cat that understood you, the one cat you truly loved, and you can't put this to place?"

He looked down. "But you can't possibly be...She was just so...she was just so sweet, so lively. I knew things would get better for her."

"And they did," Ice whispered.

"Funny how it all looks different when you're different."

She winced as he spoke the words, the words he shared while standing on the Thunderpath the night he escaped, gazing up at the stars like they held everything important. But they didn't. They were wrong.

"Can't...can't you recognize me?" she asked him.

He studied her with a look on his face that made her feel like she was growing another head, and then he spoke. "...When was the last time you saw your reflection?"

She closed her eyes at his question. What did she look like? Was she really so different than she was before? She answered honestly. "I have no idea."

"Come." Nettlepaw turned and padded off away from her. Hesitating, Ice followed, fearing where he was leading her.

After minutes, a small pool came to view. It was a dip on a stone floor, cold and clear, and she was afraid to look in, but Nettlepaw coaxed her to. She gazed at him painfully and leaned over the water, to look at what it was giving her.

A cat was staring back at her, but this wasn't just any cat. It's eyes were carrying a look so horrific that even Ice couldn't stand to see them any longer. Her shoulders and flank were covered with scars, though she had never felt it when she was in a fight. And a long, deep scratch ran from the side of her head to the skin protecting her ribs. It was the scratch that she had given herself before discovering who Nettlepaw was. And by the looks of it, it was a scar she would have forever. Other than those big things, some fur on her tail was missing, half of her right ear was torn off, and her chin had a scrape, probably from sleeping on the rock-hard surface of the ledge every night.

She pulled her eyes away from the pool and looked at Nettlepaw. "That's why you didn't recognize me." she said gravely.

He nodded. "Tell me what happened. It's your turn to share, Frozenpaw."

"Ice," she hissed, startling Nettlepaw. "My name is Ice. Frozenpaw was a helpless creature of pain and misery. I'll never go back to her. Ever."

"Fine," he replied gently. "Just tell me your story."

"Very well." She sat, wrapping her tail protectively over her paws, feeling that if she got angry, she'd use them, and at that moment, that's the last thing she wanted. "Well, from the day I was born, Nettlepaw, I was treated lower than Lionkit. All I ever wanted was to be a warrior, so...I don't really know why. Everything in my head is still kinda foggy right now."

"That's okay," said Nettlepaw. "Please continue."

She sighed. "Well, I think it was because I wanted to prove myself as an equal to Lionkit. Just because I was smaller doesn't mean I couldn't be as good as he was...or so I thought." She but her tongue, not wanting to say more, but knowing she had to. "Oakshade, my father, if you don't remember, said something about me never being good enough, and that was the reason I wanted to be a medicine cat. Not because I was interested in it. Because I felt that I needed to, that it was an escape from the all.

"And then Lionkit and I became 'paws. Nothing much was really happening, but on that first night." She paused, feeling it all come to her. "A white cat came to me, and she scared me, but that was all there was to her." _I can't tell him the truth. I just can't... _"And then when you and your siblings and Lionpaw were out training, and you told me we needed to escape, I didn't know it, but I fell in love with you, and then I helped you and you told me if I were a warrior, you would have stayed, and I felt like I was just a big mistake!

"But then, it got worse. Lionpaw was the best of everyone and your siblings got their warrior name and everyone forgot you except me, Nettlepaw. I never forgot you." That was another lie. She had not remembered him until he had told his own story. "And then, something horrible happened. Oakshade started a battle between ThunderClan and ShadowClan, just so Lionpaw could be a warrior." She spat those last few words.

"And he did. He defeated ShadowClan, and our leader..."

"Flickerstar," Nettlepaw offered.

"Flickerstar," she said, "He gave him his warrior name. Lionfire. And that same day I..." she trailed off, unable to continue. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

"You what, Frozenpaw?"

She glared at Nettlepaw. "I killed him."

A look of disbelief crossed his face and he took a step back. "Frozenpaw-"

"Ice!" she yowled. "For the last time, it's Ice!"

Nettlepaw ignored her. "Frozenpaw, I thought you were stronger than that. How could you kill him, he did nothing wrong."

"I thought you'd understand me," she growled. "Just like I understood you. Please Nettlepaw, let it go now. I'm a changed cat. I'm evil because I had to get away from all the guilt and self-hatred. Let me be happy, Nettlepaw, just let me be happy. Don't ruin it."

He stared at her for a long moment.

"We're together aren't we?" she asked.

Suddenly, he came up and rubbed his muzzle against her good ear. She sprang back. "What are you doing?" she snarled.

Nettlepaw looked hurt. "I just thought...since we..."

"No," Ice said, briefly shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Nettlepaw but I simply have no time for a mate. I have to get back to alleyway and continue my reign. I need to bounce back."

"I thought I would-"

"What? Break my evil?" Ice asked. "I thought I just told you, let me have this. Perhaps a moment ago, I couldn't a soul, but now I know what's been troubling me. I can go back to my normal life now."

"Of what? Killing and hurting others? That's just selfish, Frozenpaw."

"It. Is. _Ice,_" she growled. "Look, I lost you once, and I don't want to lose you again. We're together, yes, and I'd like to stay that way, but there is no chance I will have time for you or any tom!"

Nettlepaw threw her a desperate glance. "It's the best I've got, _Ice._ I thought when we met again, we'd have the love I always dreamed of, but if you don't want the same things I do, then fine. I really do want to make you happy. I'll keep my distance, but at least give me your friendship."

Ice looked at his outstretched paw, thinking. She would see him, and she was happy about that. But a friendship? That'd be dangerous.

Then her thoughts took a turn. He loved her, and they both knew it, and perhaps having the one cat that could stop her actually on her side, then she would be invincible! She smiled and pounded his paw with her own. "You've got my friendship, Nettlepaw," she promised. "Allow me to lead you the alleyway. I cannot wait to see the looks on their faces when they see you by my side."

* * *

Ice climbed to the ledge and took her place above the rest of the alleyway. Nettlepaw sat at the base of the Twolegnest, amber eyes following her every move. She nodded at him and yowled for the Alley Cats to hear.

"Attention!" she called, and all eyes snapped to her. "I have an announcement regarding a cat you know as Spike."

Worried murmurs swept through the alley. Bolt widened his gaze and looked away.

"First of all, Spike is not his real name, and if any of you bothered to approach you'd know he is really called Nettlepaw, and that he'd only fight you out of self-defense. Second, though he has decided not to join us, you are to allow him into the alley at any time and tend to his ever need as he asks. You will not question him, as you won't me, because I will know, and then you will be punished." Her eyes shifted to Shadow, one of the alley cats. "And just to show you that I haven't lost my edge..." as quick as a snake, she made her way down to the ground and rushed at Shadow. Before anyone knew it, her claws sliced up his belly, leaving him cut open, dying on the ground.

"This meeting is dismissed."

The Alley Cats scrambled away from her, refusing to make eye contact with Ice. She spun around to look at Nettlepaw who looked quite uncomfortable where he stood.

"What's wrong?" she asked with a fake sweetness to her tone.

"Nothing," he answered quickly, both fear and affection splitting his voice in half. "I mean, we're together, aren't we?"

She grinned. "Yes. We are."

**I know this chapter was a little off in some parts, like when she's telling her story and explaining her feelings, and I know that it's kinda sad that she refuses to be his mate but refer to Nettlepaw's line: "We're together, aren't we?" **

**Review!**

**~Destiny**


	40. Chapter 39- Training the kits again

**Wazzzzuuuppp my lovelies? Can you believe we're at 40 chapters? Including the prologue! My gosh, this is pretty long. Or at least longer than I ever anticipated! Anyway, thanks for reviewing. We're on Part 3 now! Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I claim to owning Warriors **

_Part Three - Shattered Spirit_

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Ice chewed on a robin as she laid in the shade. Greenleaf has slammed down upon them just overnight, because now, the air was warm and the sunlight was intense on her eyes. Each morning and night, as the sun rose and fell, she'd watch as a golden glimmer danced over the blue water of the pond, and training now was difficult to keep up with. Cats would tire easily and some would take to long hunting, and be late for their session. These complications frustrated Ice, and she wished the air would go cool again.

_Ice melts in the greenleaf, _she thought.

After taking a last bite of her prey, she pushed the remains aside and stood to observe the alley. Since she had killed Shadow only a few sunrises ago, the Alley Cats became really careful of what they said and did. Sure maybe hunting and training were slow, but on all other times, like on missions and other orders, they were quick and attentive. Even Slither was respecting her words now.

She supposed in could have all been the doing of Nettlepaw, and just having this "powerful and insane cat" - as Bolt would say - on her side, and having him nearly as an equal as Ice, with the same liberties and authorities must really make a mark of the Alley Cats.

Nettlepaw came by once a day, and for a while. He seemed to catch on that from sunhigh to the beginning of sunset is when Ice relaxes for the day, and maybe practices her own battle moves. It was around that time, when the sun was at it's highest and its hottest, but he had not come quite yet.

Bolt passed by her, carrying a squirrel in his jaws. Ice called out his name abruptly.

He immediately dropped his food. "Yes, Commander Ice, what do you need?" He spoke quickly and politely, probably fearing that she would attack and kill him if he had not said his words in that manner.

"I want to assess Pine and Flare again. The last time, it didn't really end well," she replied.

Bolt considered her for a moment and then had his gaze go round at a realization. "I am terribly sorry, My Commander for giving an argument, but this is hardly the weather to be training kits in." She noted how weak with fear his voice sounded.

"You question my thoughts?" she asked, partly to tease him and partly because she meant it. His strength seemed to falter under her cold green gaze. "Kits," she hissed. "_Now." _

He nodded, grabbed his squirrel and scampered off.

_I like him, _she thought to herself. _Very loyal, and respects authority. _

She stayed where she was until Bolt came back, Flare and Pine trailing behind him. The two of them looked as they had during the first attempt for an assessment. Flare was excited and confident and Pine looked small and uncertain. Ice narrowed her gaze. He would have to shape up during training.

"We're doing this again, Pine! And then we'll find our training group. It's too bad we'll be in different groups, because I'll miss you, but it'll still be fun right! We'll be allowed outside the alley and go to hunt birds and squirrels and fight dogs and nasty rogues. Oh, Pone doesn't that all sound fun?"

"Mmph," Pine mused.

"Remember," Ice snapped, getting both of their attentions."You are too put up a fight, and I mean each of you using teeth and claws. I want to see you bleed and hear you scream. I don't care if you're kits, you're going to grow up sometime, so why not today?" She lowered her voice to a growl. "You will not fight like kits."

"Okay, Commander Ice!" exclaimed Flare happily.

"Uh, yeah, okay...Commander Ice..." whispered Pine.

"Doesn't Flower want to see this?" Ice asked Bolt as the kits got into position.

"She'd rather not watch..." the black and ginger tom replied gingerly, with a slight shake of his head. "That's alright?"

"Yeah, sure," Ice muttered. "I just thought that this would make her proud to see her sons battling like real warriors of the Alley Cats."

Bolt shrugged.

"Alright," she meowed then, turning to Pine and Flare. "Go!"

It took a moment to understand what she had said, but even with the hesitation, Flare was of course, the first to move. He snaked forward on one side of Pine, making slashes with his claws down his flank. As Pine crouched in pain, Flare reared up behind him and slammed his paws down on his brother's back, pinning him uncomfortably.

_But yet, a way he could easily slip out of, _she observed.

Pine cried out again and wriggled, and her thoughts were proven true. He slipped out of Flare's grasp and whirled to face him, fearing his brother's next move.

Ice shouted out for the small tomcat to hear, "Stop being a coward and fight!"

He did nothing in response, not even a tail flick. Flare advanced, in a hunter's crouch position, like he was going to leap, but he wasn't careful. He didn't need to be. A single paw swipe, and he had the upper paw, battering at his brother, blow after blow and Ice watched the blood run to the ends of his spiky fur before dripping to the ground.

"Flare," he groaned. "You're hurting me."

For a moment, Flare stopped but then he said. "This is an assessment, Pine, I have to hurt you to win."

Pine struggled under the weight of his brother, but nonetheless, Flare won and Pine surrendered.

Ice nodded at Flare. "You will be joining training with your father." He jumped happily up and down and went to stand by Bolt. Then her eyes found Pine, making an effort of stand. "And you," she said bitterly, capturing his attention. "We will be training together now. And it will be the hardest thing you will ever have to go through. Be prepared kit, I don't take any excuses, or tolerate weaklings like yourself."

Pine trembled before and and gave a shaky nod.

"Go find Slither, if you will, you know large, ginger, _scarred,__"_ she hissed. "She'll be happy to begin your training."

"Now hold on-"

Ice whirled around to face Bolt. She thrust her face in his. "What were you saying?"

Bolt shook his head. "I didn't say anything."

"Yeah, right."

"No really, I didn't."

Ice glared at him and then looked over his shoulder. Nettlepaw walked towards her and the rest of the cats there, giving them all a skeptical look. "I spoke. Ice, do you really think it's a good idea to have this kit fight his brother, bleed and lose to his brother, and then go train right away without any proper treatment? All while under the blazing hot sun?"

She narrowed her gaze. "I'm trying to show his how to be a strong cat. If we keep showing him that he can rest and heal after every fight and battle, he'll never be a worthy enough warrior for us."

Nettlepaw brushed his tail over her shoulder. "Calm down. You may think this is making him stronger, but you're really killing him. And losing a fight isn't worthy of killing him."

Ice considered his words and thoroughly disagreed. What's the point of living a life when you waste it on weakness? But she couldn't hold his gaze, so she nodded. "Fine. As you say, Nettlepaw."

"Good," he said, voice calm and soothing, but it didn't have any effect on Ice. "Why don't you try to heal his wounds? Do you remember anything from your medicine cat days?"

She gasped and snapped her eyes up at him. Her medicine cat days? Was he serious? She gritted her teeth and shook her head. "No, and even I did I wouldn't patch him up or give him poultices or anything. First you tell me to stop his training, and then you expect me to heal him? Have you no thought?"

Nettlepaw sighed. "I'll take him to his mother." He grabbed Pine by the scruff and carried him away, leaving Ice alone to stand.

What she said was a lie. She did remember. And she remembered all of it. Each remedy for each sickness and injury and ache, but there was no way she would admit it all.

It felt like since she reunited with Nettlepaw, that he was trying to hard to change her back to who she was. He'd mention anything when he could, and tried to get her to by merciful and kind, like a weakling warrior, guarded insecurely by the "warrior code". But she wasn't ever going back to Frozenleaf. Ice is who she would stay as, because in this life, she at least had to a choice to be happy.

When Nettlepaw came back, flicking his tail casually, she turned on him playfully. "Hey, I stead of seeing if I remember my medicine cat days, let's see if you remember your apprentice days." She cuffed him over the ear and he reeled back in surprise. "If you took on three strays around here, you have to be able to fight me."

He stared at her for a moment and then copied her ready-to-attack position. Ice beamed and then threw herself at him, yowling. He grunted as she knocked him to the ground. A feeling within her pushed her away from him but she reassured herself that this was only playing.

Her heart wouldn't allow her to hurt him anyway.

He flailed his hind legs until they connected with her belly and she was shoved backwards. Swifter than she could have noticed, he leaped to his paws and twisted away from her next blow just to swing right back around, a paw lashed out to strike her face. The move sent her back another few tail lengths, but she maneuvered his next attack and retaliated with a shove in the chest. As he struggled to stay on balance with his paws, she spun, kicking her legs through the air and striking him several times on the flank before losing control of her body and falling right on top of him.

The both of them broke out in a fit of laughter. "I haven't hurt you too bad, have I?" she asked between gasps of air.

"No," he responded, trying to catch his breath. "Have I?"

"No," she said.

As they broke away from each other Nettlepaw meowed, "You know, it's times like these, with both of us together, here, lost from everything around us that I-"

"That you what?" she asked.

He looked her in the eye with his own amber then looked away. "Nothing, I never should have said anything...Commander Ice." He stood, bowed awkwardly and padded out of alley, leaving her behind to ponder his words.

**Hope you liked it, and I hope you review! It was kinda a filler, but I want to put some space between finding Nettlepaw, and the next big event. :) **

**And one more thing, I'm not saying this to single out anyone person, but several people on different chapters, like when Frozenpaw kills Lionfire and things like that, that I'd appreciate no flames. To me and to any other person. Just a word of advice for any other story you read, it's never a nice thing to flame. I've been seeing that lately, on other stories besides mine, and most likely you don't flame, but please, make sure you spread the word about that on your own stories as well. **

**We're all here to practice our writing, not to get mean comments. Spread the word. **

**~Destiny**


	41. Chapter 40- Is it really enough?

**Welcome, my friends to the next chapter of Trapped in Ice! Thanks for reviewing, and I hope you enjoy. There's not much else to say here. :)**

**Disclaimer: Erin Hunter owns Warriors. My name is not Erin Hunter. **

Chapter Forty

They padded around the alley together, watching as the training commenced. Two days have passed since Pine and Flare redid their first assessment, and now things felt normal once again. Nettlepaw had stopped mentioning things having to do with the Clans, and she once again felt on top of things. Ice nodded as she saw each pair ready to train although both Slither and Bolt stood glaring at each other.

She stopped and threw them each a questioning look. "Why have you not begun your fight?" she asked.

"He's a coward," she growled.

"She's stubborn," said he.

Ice peeled back her lip. "I don't care if you like each other or not. Shouldn't that be what fuels your anger to fight? Wouldn't it be delightful to feel the skin of the other tearing under your claws?" She felt Nettlepaw's eyes on her but she continued. "Why is your fury a reason not to battle?"

"I thought you took no excuses," Slither sneered.

Ice slid out her claws. "I also want you to answer me when I ask you questions, you fox-hearted mange-pelt! Speak!"

Slither raised her chin in defiance. Bolt took a step forward, calmly speaking. "These aren't fights, Commander Ice, these are training sessions. They are not for relieving our stress and anger, they are for practice. We merely refuse to work with one another."

His words earned him a swipe over the mouth. As she stumbled back she growled, "I decide what they are for, Bolt, and when I want you to fight, you fight." Her eyes found Slither's laugh-stifling face. "And that goes for you too, scar-face."

The smile totally vanished from the ginger she-cat's lips. Her eyes widened in surprise at the words of Ice. A snarl emitted from deep within her throat. "What did you just say to me?"

"You heard me," Ice spat, arching her back. "Scar. Face."

The two she-cats now faced each other, hissing and bristling. Nettlepaw thrust himself between them, startling them both backwards. "Stop it. Before someone is hurt."

"That's the idea," retorted Ice.

"No it's not," Nettlepaw said to her sternly enough that she had actually begun to believe him. She forced her fur to lie flat and he continued speaking. "Slither, Bolt. Just fight for a few minutes and let it go, whatever you're talking about. This is about practicing your battle skills so you'll be...stronger. You got it?"

"Yes, Commander Nettlepaw," Slither said.

Ice felt ire course through her. "_I'm _your Commander," she growled.

"But doesn't Nettlepaw have the same power you do?" Slither asked innocently. "I mean that's what you said..."

"If you don't want to fight him," hissed Ice, "You can fight me. I have no problem with ripping you into crow-food once and for all!"

"Enough!" Nettlepaw yowled. "This is getting out of hand. Stop with the arguing! Slither, Bolt, train...now."

The two Alley Cats reluctantly obeyed him and began their fight. Nettlepaw turned to an angry Ice and soothingly wrapped his tail over her shoulder.

"Great," she said, sitting. "Now it seems that I can't even control my own cats. I have to be defended by you, and you aren't even an Alley Cat at all!"

"You have plenty of control," Nettlepaw told her. "You just need to handle different cats in different ways. When it comes to Slither, if you threaten her, she'll fight you. Perhaps with her, you need to take a separate approach than violence."

She looked up at him. "But that's what I'm good at! It's...it's what keeps me sane."

"I know," Nettlepaw said, and Ice thought she detected pain in his words. "But you're going to have to learn to control yourself beyond that."

She sighed, feeling like a kit who had just been scolded by a parent. She knew he was right, but most of her hated the idea of staying calm instead of using claws and teeth, but they continued around the alley, watching the training. It was pretty simple, now that she forced her fur flat and her claws sheathed, with only a few things to say before the Alley Cats understood and got back to work, but she scowled at the realization that they were more controlled when she was peaceful. It put a sour taste in her mouth.

By the time everyone was looking good with the fighting, Ice leaned in to Nettlepaw with gritted teeth.

"You know I can no longer take this," she snarled. "I need to do these things my way."

"Isn't it better to have them obeying you more easily?" asked Nettlepaw, sounding puzzled.

"Maybe it is to you, but for me, I like it when they put up a fight. It gives me strength to show." She gazed off in the distance, baring her teeth. "Oh, and how I love the fear in their eyes when I kill one of their fellow cats."

"Aren't you afraid that they'll rise up and rebel against you? It's one cat opposed to many. They do have the power to drive you out." His eyes glimmered with worry. "Or worse, kill you."

Ice remembered the time when Drake and Bolt were talking about a rebellion. What the Alley Cats speaking of when she was gone? Could they really be planning something? She glanced at the battle training. They all really had improved since she took over Darren's leadership.

"No, no," she lied, trying not to make her voice waver. "They wouldn't dare touch me with you around. They look up to me, and it's about time they do me." Her eyes went dark, her paws prickled with a certain craving. The craving for blood.

She looked at her friend. "Maybe this 'remain calm' stuff works for you, Nettlepaw, but not for me. I'm going out - to kill some pathetic kittypet. I'll be back soon enough. This won't take to long."

Ice had already turned away by the time the dark gray tom spoke. "You need to learn to control the bloodlust, Ice," he said, warning to his tone.

She looked over her shoulder. "How many times must we go over this before you get it in your head? This is who I am, and who I am happy as. Stop trying to convince me that this path will only hurt me in the end." She paused and whispered to herself. "That is what the first one did."

Ice left behind the alleyway, with Nettlepaw within it. Simply knowing that he was left there longing after her made her remember the Feeling she had when she had helped him escape.

That Feeling was gone.

* * *

It was humid that day, and her fur felt like it was being weighed down by the thick, warm, invisible moisture in the air, but the heat did not tire her. She felt the adrenaline course through her blood when the thought of killing something pulsed through her mind. She walked on the Twolegpaths shadowed by the leaves on the trees. Twolegkits ran and played outside, laughing their odd laughs and shouting with their odd voices. Only one spotted her and didn't give much of a thought of her, only pointed her out to a companion, as they watched her disappear up the path.

She passed nest after nest, nose in the air, searching for the smell of a kittypet, or even a stray. Yes, a stray would put up more of a fight; a sweet, blood fight, but she would take what she could get. Killing was just an escape from everything else buzzing in her head, whether it was hunting, or the Alley Cats, or even Nettlepaw. Killing would just pull her away and take her to her happy place, wherever that could be.

Ice reached the end of the Twolegplace, somewhere near Nettlepaw's tree, when a smell fluttered past her nostrils. And it wasn't Nettlepaw's scent, it was lighter and heavier with the smell of pine. Whoever this cat was, the weren't usually near of Twolegplace. They must have lived in a forest.

She followed the scent, ready to rip flesh open and taste hot blood on her tongue. Her claws dug into the grass below her as she walked, and excitement stood at the ends of her fluffed out fur.

Eventually, through the trees, a blue-gray pelt caught the rays of the sun and shined brightly for Ice to see. A well-muscled tomcat sniffed the grass, probably trying to catch a scent. Ice stalked him like she would a mouse until she was close enough...

She jumped. With a screech of both delight and struggle, she pinned down the tom and locked her paws in place, holding claws above him, she began to bring them down, but the tom was quick. He rolled his shoulder, breaking her grip and rolled, catching her hind paw beneath him and causing her to fall.

Once he was standing, he gasped. "You're Ice!" he exclaimed.

"And you're a genius!" she hissed back sarcastically and leaped at him again.

For many moments, they exchanged blows, neither one of them successful in bringing the other to the grass. Then, as she lashed out a paw for a powerless strike, she realized, she was holding herself back, as if she was training another cat.

The blue-gray cat stopped when she did and stood panting. "Please Ice, don't kill me. I have heard stories of your excellence, but never believed them. So I came here to see if they were all true."

"Well they are," she said bitterly. "And if you were here long enough, you'd know I don't appreciate it when cats doubt me."

"Oh, I apologize greatly, Ice," he said frantically.

"Apologizes don't work for me," she growled. "This is just a game." She released her anger and ran for him, bowling him over while at the same time delivering several strikes and feels blood run under her claws.

"_Ice!" _a voice screamed, and she had already slashed her claws down the blue-gray cat's belly by the time Nettlepaw shoved her away. "What are you doing!? This was an innocent cat! Have you no conscience?"

"You know very well, that no one here is safe," Ice snarled at him. "And no one here is innocent. They all made a mistake trying to fight me."

"That's foolish!" Nettlepaw yowled. He sighed, quieting his voice. "Ice, do you know what you're even doing?"

"Of course," she said. "I have no problem with admitting that I kill these cats out of cold blood, out of my frustration at myself. This is all to make me feel good again. So I am sane."

"Are you really?" Nettlepaw asked. He sat and glanced at the body.

Ice shrugged. "Maybe not. At least I think I am."

"Is that enough?"

Ice stared at him. It took many moments for his words to process in her mind, and when they did she couldn't help but wonder, was it? Was it enough to believe that all of this was doing enough to keep her from hurting?

Completely unsure of herself and what was really going on, Ice brushed past Nettlepaw and stumbled back to the alley.

**Okay. That wraps up another chapter. Looks like Ice has got herself in a little issue regarding her sanity and her reasons. I hope by now you understand why she is really killing. To keep herself from completely losing it. She feels that this is her purpose and without a purpose, she'd probably lose her mind entirely.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and I hope you review!**

**~Destiny**


	42. Chapter 41- Afraid of pain

**Thank you everyone for your reviews! Soon enough we'll be at the climax of the story. But don't worry, we still have up to five to seven chapters before all of that happens. This chapter I got a little lazy with so I know it's confusing and rushed and needs to be revised. Sorry!**

**Oh, and my good friend, Nightstorm is going to do the disclaimers from now on. I think it sounds kind of weird coming from myself.**

**Nightstorm: Born of True Destiny does not own Warriors. **

Chapter Forty-One

Since their argument, Ice as not seen Nettlepaw.

She guessed he must have been at his oak tree, trying to think things through. Maybe he was wondering what to say to her when he returned. Maybe he was wondering if he should speak at all.

Why couldn't he just understand? He felt the pain she had, when his family treated him like he was weak and useless and didn't matter compared to anything else. They knew how each other felt back then. Why should now be any different? Perhaps he couldn't see through her eyes because he had run away from his problems before they even were able to scar him. Ice had made a mistake waiting for the agony to come crashing down. Now thinking about it, was it her fault they could no longer see eye to eye?

She looked on glumly. And it hurt even more knowing that she no longer loved him.

Now she continuously gazed out at the alleyway entrance, searching for any sign of shining amber eyes peering from thick gray fur.

"C-commander Ice?"

Ice turned her head to look at Pine who stood uncomfortably before her. "Yes?" Her on-edge voice made the orange-golden kit flinch back. "W-what is it?"

"Did I perform the move right?" he asked.

"Erm..." she muttered. "I wasn't paying attention. Show me again!"

He dipped his head and got into a starting position. With a brief wave of his tail, Pine leaped and sunk his claws into an invisible enemy. Hind legs raked an imaginary flank while his front paws took him around so he could throw a strong blow to the opponents head. The force of his paw carried him forward to pin down the enemy.

Ice nodded. Pine had been improving on his battle skills, but he still had a fearful attitude. "Looks pretty good, though don't get too comfortable with sticking the landing. Remember, there will be a cat there and you have to keep a sharp eye out for where it will be positioned.

Pine bowed his head respectively. "Ye-yes, Commander I-ice."

"Are you cold?" she asked, growling.

"What?" Pine said. "No."

"Than why are you stuttering?"

"Well...I..."

"Are you scared."

"Uh..."

"Are you a coward?"

He backed away. "No! I can be brave!"

"Prove it," she snarled. "Fight me."

Pine blinked at her, surprised. He looked as if he didn't believe her. He couldn't believe her. There was no way that she would make a small kit in training fight a big, mean scary cat right? "Commander Ice...please...don't make me."

She stared at him for a while. His shivering body, his fearful eyes. Something inside her broke. She slumped down on the ground. "I'm sorry, Pine. I never thought I'd say those words again, but I'm sorry."

"Commander Ice...are you crying?"

It took a moment to realize that she was. Ice closed her damp eyes and lowered her head to the ground between her paws. Pine inched closer, like he didn't no whether or not to comfort her or just walk away.

"Commander Ice, don't be sad. Why are you sad? You're big and strong! You could kill any cat here! Did one of them hurt you? I thought no one could hurt you!"

"I am not sad, Pine," she said through sobs. "I am afraid."

"Afraid?" Pine exclaimed, surprised at her words. "But...but you're Commander Ice! You've killed all cats that challenged you! You took over this alleyway and made it stronger than it ever was before! You're afraid...but everyone's afraid of you!"

"I know," Ice said and she raised her head and looked Pine deep in the eye. "But I'm afraid of myself as well."

He was bowed down before her so they were equal in height. "Commander Ice, you're strong. You'll be able to get through fear. Why are you scared?"

"I wish I knew. Maybe I'll see it when someone shows me," she murmured. "Pine, you have really improved in your battle skills. I know that I can sometimes be brutal, but remember this now: no matter what, even if I deny it in the future, know that I am only cruel because I need to hurt others to make myself feel better. I realized that it is not because I just want to, it is because I have to, or I'll completely lose my sanity."

Pine didn't look like he fully understood, but he nodded. "Okay, Commander Ice. Whatever you say."

"Go find you mother," Ice said. "And eat. You deserve a big meal."

The kit looked at her for a while before nodding. "Yes, Commander Ice. Do you think you'll find out why you are afraid?"

"Maybe," she said. "Run along."

Pine got up and bounded away, looking for Flower.

She sat up. What was wrong with her? There was something inside that made her find friendship within a tiny, cowardly kit.

_Or maybe the bravest of them all, _she thought, remembering how he spoke to her. He still called her by her title. He still obeyed her, but he now talked to her like a friend without any fear. No one did that. Not even Bolt, her second in command.

What was it though, that caused all of this? Even more pain than she would ever realize would come to her. Once she figured it out, she would destroy it, so she could continue on with her life. She didn't know how many times she had to say it in her head, but there was no way she would turn back to her old life. At least now, she had no guilt.

"Are you okay?"

She spun around and her muzzle ended up a mouse tail-length from his own. "Fox dung," she whispered retreating back a few steps. "Nettlepaw, what's the matter with you?"

The dark gray tom just blinked. "That doesn't look like the question. What's the matter with you? It looks like...whatever you get upset about."

"Let's not discus that yet," Ice said. "What do you think you're doing, disappearing for days and then turning back up here like there's nothing to it?"

"So what I'm hearing is that you missed me," he teased.

Now she was just getting furious. "Yeah, sure. You know what, back to your question." He smiled with satisfaction. "What do you want to know?"

"Okay," he sat down, putting his weight on a single paw. "I wanna know what's going in with you. Since we met back up again, you've been acting like something huge has been dragging you down. I know that's not how it used to be; I've talked to the cats here. What are you sad about?"

"First of all...how inconsiderate of you to yell at me a few sunrises ago and then come back here and forget about it, and second...I really don't want to talk about it for the second time today."

"So this has to do with killing that cat," Nettlepaw inquired.

"Well...maybe," Ice replied. "But honestly, I just talked to someone else about this, and I really don't want to do it again."

"Not even with me?"

"Not even with you."

"Okay," he said. "Fine. Hey, why don't we change the subject then? Slither was afraid to ask you herself-"

"Slither?" Ice asked. "She was afraid to ask me? That's a lie. That stubborn she-cat would throw herself in front of a monster before she admits to be frightened by me."

Nettlepaw's smug look disappeared. "Ice...come on. Tell me what's wrong...I-I'm so worried for you."

"I don't know," she said. "Something here is just...wrong."

Nettlepaw's eyes dimmed. "Maybe I know."

Ice scrambled closer to him, the fur on the back of her neck suddenly bristling. "What is it?" she demanded desperately. "Tell now!"

"I have to know how you'll react when I tell you," Nettlepaw said firmly. Then ignoring the venomous glare from Ice he added, "Ice, you know very well how unpredictable you are."

She felt tears at the corners of her eyes again. Closing them she whispered. "I know that I'm impulsive and it's hard to control myself. Oh, Nettlepaw, you've made that so clear. But that's when I still have the little regulation inside me that I really do have restraint on. Can you imagine how dangerous I'll be when I lose that part of myself? I'll be hurting myself as well as others."

"Oh, Ice, I know how you got into this fight with yourself. Just promise me that you'll stay where you are and hold my gaze."

She opened her eyes again, allowing the tears to fall, but she looked straight into the amber gaze of her companion.

"This isn't enough for you," he began. "Just hurting others away from where all that pain came from. You are the bravest cat I have ever met, but please don't deny me when I say that all along you have been running from it all along. This murderous attitude isn't a fight with your sanity, Ice." He paused and winced as he saw how much agony she held in her eyes. "It is a race."

She tried to speak but he silenced with. "When you met me again, you remembered the burden that you have carried on your shoulders all this time. I said that this evil was an escape from the guilt of killing your brother." She gasped when she saw where it was headed. "But really you were just ignoring it. That guilt is still trying to poke its way back before your gaze."

"But you don't understand," Ice hissed. "I can't fight that when it's in front of me. It grows too large; it reminds me again and again of what I've done and the more I see it the more it hurts."

But then it came together for her.

It was her future self that changed her into who she was, the guilt. Why would she want to be her own enemy and cause herself pain? That fiendish white cat was all along trying to save her from this pain. She saw it all coming.

She knew what was best for herself.

That white cat had wanted to get revenge on the Clans for causing her so much heartache. Ice now understood. She wouldn't have lived with the guilt and the pain if she hadn't killed Lionfire.

And she wouldn't have killed Lionfire if her Clanmates just had a little faith.

It was their fault. Not hers. And not his.

If they had seen what she they had done...oh, she couldn't even finish the thought.

"Ice..."

"What?" she snapped bitterly.

"You broke your promise."

Ice didn't understand what he was talking about until she realized she was staring at her paws and not into his eyes. With a furious breath, she cuffed Nettlepaw over the ear and ran to climb up onto her ledge where she curled up, and rain joined her tears as they fell from her face.

**I know, not my best chapter. :( But please review anyway! **

**~Destiny**


	43. Chapter 42- Dreaming in the storm

**I just realized I made a mistake. It's something that you may notice, or may not. Depends. You know how in the prologue it mentions that Hailblaze is old? Well when he is introduced through Frozenkit's eyes he is young and this entire story takes place over the course of around two years. That's quite a short time to go from young to old, even in the Warriors World.**

**Yeah, I'm terrible at planning. **

**Anyway, thanks for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this next chapter! Take it away Nightstorm!**

**Nightstorm: Born of True Destiny does not own Warriors **

Chapter Forty-Two

_For many moons, nothing but darkness had taken over her sleep; nothing but a quiet, peaceful darkness. She had liked it that way. No nightmares to plague those times when the path got a little bumpy. Nothing to harm her and remind her of pain so she could feel good about herself. She had recently been told that maybe evil wasn't an escape, but sleep sure was. _

_That was, until now. _

_Now she was a kit again, small and unscathed in body and mind, watching two shapes she couldn't make out, battle each other right before her eyes. A longing feeling filled her when she realized that the two shapes were great beasts of strength, one of which took a form similar to a lion. She wished to join their fighting. She_ wanted _it more than anything, but as she was about to move, a cold chill stopped her, freezing her in little snow crystals. _

_She whirled to a knew place. This time two seemingly endless paths stretched out before her. One offered glory and triumph and the other a horrifying doom. She hardly knew why, but her paws refused to take down the wonderful path, and instead left her confused and coldly alone. _

_It looked as though, through the sadness and despair, a new pathway opened ahead of her, and with it a delicious, flowery scent that for only a single moment, felt like a solution, because when she padded down the pathway, her heart felt like it was about to shatter. _

_She could feel the atmosphere around her changing, and it scent an icy chill down her spine__. Now where was this taking her? What other pain could such a dream have to offer her with?_

_Sure enough, she was in a new place. She felt like she was safe and protected, but she wasn't happy. The lion-like beast was before her again, standing in a shaft of golden light. Roars of happiness and praise erupted from everywhere, except her own mouth. She stood in the shade of things, the icy feeling from before crawling up and over her flesh more and more with each second. _

_The strange thing was, the beast was getting all of the glory and the congratulations, but that's not where her sadness and hopelessness was directed at. She wanted to be a part of everything, and that lion-like animal was stealing that from her, but she didn't give a care about him. _

_Her attention went to the sidelines, where the roar from the crowd drowned out all else. She felt small, facing it all before her and that only made the roars of praise for the beast louder, and along with it, came a hatred aimed at her. _

_The ice creeped faster and cold her around her, blocking her mind and her eyes with its bitterness, and then, it trapped her heart. _

Ice woke with a start, unsure if it was the chilliness of the dream or the boom of thunder overhead that aroused her to the real world. Though the thick black clouds already made it as dark as a shadow, she could tell it was the middle of the night.

Wide awake now, she climbed down from the ledge and slipped under the overhanging roof of the Twolegnest just as the first drop of rain trickled through her fur. Ice sat there on the old, rotting wood and watched as that one drop whirled into a thunderstorm. Lightning lit up the dark night and the thunder would follow almost immediately, nearing blocking out the sounds of the howling wind. The water of the pond bounced as it was attacked with numerous raindrops from the clouds.

The air was thick and warm, a complete changed from the freezing feeling she had endured in her sleep. The whole process felt weird, not only because of what had happened but also because she had not had a dream since her last meeting with her future self.

But aside from that shock, she couldn't believe what she had seen. It was her life, played through her sleep in what felt like heartbeats. The two beasts fighting while she was a kit were her father and her brother, and the ice crystals were her mother, preventing her from joining their little "training session".

The paths were what separated the warrior life from her father's words, that said she would be better off dead than a warrior, and the third path had been the way of a medicine cat, which had seemed like it helped until she had discovered that it was nothing she ever wanted in her life.

And the third vision, the one that closed everything. It was her brother, becoming everything she ever wanted, and everyone seeing him that way. It was how they all at first overlooked her, and in time, some of them ended up just being cruel. Calling her by the wrong name, treating her like she was never important.

And it all began with being small.

Why did she have to be small?

Why did they hate her for it?

_What would they do if I showed them that they were all wrong? _

Ice considered her thoughts for a while. Did they even remember her now that she had been gone for a few seasons? It had taken around two moons for the Clan to move on from Nettlepaw's disappearance from the Clans. And now it had been way longer than two moons from when she disappeared herself.

_Well then, I'll have to make sure they remember me, _she thought.

Her gaze shifted from the storm around her to the alleyway, where cats slept under the protection of the ledges and roofs of the Twolegnests. These scrawny, unskilled mouse-brains didn't really mean anything to her. They were the most feared cats of the entire Twoleg neighborhood, but that was only because they lived in a much weaker atmosphere than the forest Clans.

Yes, if she were to take over the forest Clans out of revenge for their ignorance and mistreatment, maybe that would be enough. She would at last be satisfied by her life for once. She'd have something to live for, and she would have nothing to fear, because the cruel world around her really deserved what they were about to be handed.

If they were going to be evil to her, it was about time she stopped running from herself and turned to face her past.

She would defeat the pain.

The corners of Ice's lips tilted up at the thought of sweet revenge. It's what her future self has been begging for all along, right? Maybe for on e in her life, she'd have everything: power, leadership and happiness, all at once.

She glanced out at the storm again and stretched her muzzle out to feel the rain. Her nose was soaked and her eyes sparkled as the lightning bolts tore across the night sky in a fierce flash of white light. The wind as it rushed and ambushed the trees, also maneuvered in the air to blow through her pelt, cooling her, but at the same time warming her, with a sense of hope.

Ice grinned, remembering the first rainstorm when she arrived at this Twolegplace. Rain defined her.

She backed away, curled up, placed her tail tip over her nose, and fell asleep, this time into the peaceful darkness that she loved so much.

* * *

"Commander Ice!"

The voice woke her. Looking around, she saw that the storm had passed during her last few hours of sleep. Now golden sunlight shone across the wet ground and over the pond. Raindrops dripped from the green leaves of the trees.

Looking to her side, Ice saw Bolt. When her eyes met his, he dipped his head in respect. "Commander Ice, forgive me for awaking you, but I saw that you were not in your usual spot up on the ledge."

"Do you think I would have slept up there in the rain?" she asked him.

"No, of course not," he meowed apologetically.

"Don't worry. I'm glad you woke me. I need to tell Nettlepaw something anyway. Is he still here?" Ice said.

Bolt shook his head no. "Afraid not, Commander Ice. He left yesterday. Looked pretty shaken if you ask me."

As the ginger and black tom spoke, Ice remembered their talk the day before. Her fur stood on end, thinking that he could have been hurt from what she had said to him. "My, I should go look for him. This is a pretty urgent matter. Is there anything you wanted to tell me?"

"You're going to leave? Now? Flare wanted to show you what he had learned."

"That's going to have to wait," said Ice. "Keep practicing. Make it certain that he doesn't disappoint me when I get back."

"Yes, Commander Ice," Bolt replied, as she jumped off the wooden platform. Flicking her tail, she raced around the pond in the wet grass, leaving the alley behind to look for her friend.

She realized as she ran that she would have to find a way to actually leave the Ally Cats behind for good, but that was the least of her worries. They had no power against her anyway.

Ice must have running fast because she got to the oak tree in what seemed like no time. She saw the dark gray shape of Nettlepaw padding around the trunk, as if he was looking for something.

"Nettlepaw!" she called, and he looked up. She leaped at him and tackled him to the wet grass. She loomed over it, trying to catch her breath that seemed have just escaped from her body.

"Ice!" he shouted. "What are you doing?"

"I..I..." she managed to say between gasps. She caught her breath before continuing. "I have to tell you something!"

**Not really the best way to end the chapter and I know on some parts it was rushed. But this is pretty important if you ask me!**

**Nightstorm: BE SURE TO REVIEW, OR I WILL FIND YOU AND STAND THERE UNTIL YOU DO IT!'**

**Me: Nightstorm! Stop being a stalker. But yeah, review. **

**~Destiny (And Nightstorm)**


	44. Chapter 43- You'll follow me, right?

**Thank you all for reviewing! Always remember that your reviews are always appreciated, and that I love the support you all give to me for this story, even though it is sad and dark. **

**Nightstorm: She's just trying to butter you up for the ending.**

**Me: Shush it, Nightstorm. Just do the disclaimer.**

**Nightstorm: Fine. Born of True Destiny does not own Warriors. If she did, her name would be Erin Hunter, which it clearly isn't. **

Chapter Forty-Three

"What do you mean, 'set things in order'?" asked Nettlepaw.

Ice smiled slyly. After tackling her friend to the ground she had gotten off of him and sat, to eagerly explain what she wanted so badly to tell him. Now she just had, and even though he didn't fully understand her, suspicion colored his words, and she couldn't wait to see his reaction when she told him the whole truth. "I mean what I said."

"Explain further, if you will," he replied, sounding uneasy.

"Well, like I told you, last night I had a dream, a dream that reminded me of what really transformed me into who I am. It wasn't the pure joy of killing, and it wasn't even the guilt. It was the pain that I was caused before any of that was even clear through my eyes," she said to him. "It showed me what to blame for this entire mess; for my agony of my soul and the agony of others as I hurt them."

"Ice..." Nettlepaw said with a warning tone. "You are responsible-"

"For my own actions!" she finished for him, a flash of anger igniting in her belly. "I know! But you said it yourself, I am too unpredictable. I can't control myself. The bloodlust and craving for power takes over in my mind. I thought we went over that. Many times."

He sighed looking to the ground. "Oh, why is everything between us so confusing? It's like I'm saying one thing but then the next moment it means something entirely different, or we just go back and forth, saying whatever is on our minds when what's really happening is the complete opposite. I need that to stop."

Ice swept her tail over the grass. "That's because neither of us know what's really been happening. It's only clear to me now why I hurt so bad. Let me explain this, maybe then, everything will be better."

Nettlepaw sighed again and wrapped his tail over his paws. Angling his ears toward her, he said, "Go on."

"Alright," Ice responded. "Well, the dream. It was about my past. I started out as a kit, and throughout it all, there was a beast, a lion, that must have represented my brother." Nettlepaw nodded, understanding. "As I grew, there were things around me, paths appearing, snow freezing me, crowds cheering, and as all of these things happened, the lion was doing spectacular things."

"So what does that have anything to do with 'setting things in order.'?" asked Nettlepaw.

"I'm getting to that. You see, maybe Lionfire was a great apprentice and warrior, but it wasn't just because they thought he was great that I was excluded and ignored." She paused, a growl rising in her throat. "It was also because I was small, and they saw me as useless. Back at the Clans, after killing Lionfire, I blamed myself, but then I didn't know who to blame. Well, now it's obvious. The Clans caused me this pain, and I'll make sure that they see what horrible things they have done."

Amber eyes bored into her forehead as Nettlepaw stared. He looked emotionless, other than the nervous twitch of his tail-tip. After several heartbeats, he let out a breath and looked to the ground. "Ice, that's ridiculous."

She was taken aback. "What? Why? They were cruel to me. They-they were cruel to you! How could you not see that they need to be punished for their mistakes?"

"Oh, I agree with you. They were ignorant fox-hearts at some point in time," Nettlepaw replied to her, gazing back up. "But what is it worth now? What is it worth ever? When you killed your brother, you felt guilt unlike you had ever known."

"That's because it was never his fault," snarled Ice.

"How long has it been since you left?" he asked.

"I don't know," she hissed, annoyed. "About two seasons."

"Well maybe over that period of time, they have realized their mistakes and have asked StarClan for forgiveness. Maybe they silently apologize to you and to me before they go to sleep."

"Nettlepaw, that's your weakest argument ever," she said. "They wouldn't ever feel bad about what they've done, in fact, I'm sure they rejoiced when they found out I was gone. I bet they don't remember me."

"Then what's the point?" Nettlepaw asked, "If they don't remember you. I know that this must have been hard, but we all have to move on at sometime."

"Move on?" she demanded. "_Move on? _Do you not see what those Clans did to me? They ripped my heart to shreds by casting me away when I was helpless. I tried to show them I was strong, that I could have been just as close as them, but what do I really get? Cold, blind eyes watching me sort leaves, that's what! And what if I actually had loving parents? Would they say they were proud at me for sorting leaves? Do you think so?"

"If you had loving parents, you wouldn't have-" he cut himself off with a grunt of surprise.

"You agree with me," Ice realized. "You just don't want to admit it. I'm alone, again! And there's no one out there who actually likes me enough to just take a risk, and be on my side for a change."

A look of anguish crossed over Nettlepaw's eyes. He winced. "Ice...you don't know..."

"I don't know what?" she spat.

He swallowed. "You don't know how much you're loved."

"Loved?" she echoed and then threw back her head laughing. "Yeah I'm sure that these Alley Cats can't get enough of me forcing them to fight in the scorching heat and scarring them when they make the slightest mistakes. Oh, and I am sure that every time I walk by, cats just drop whatever they're doing and stare after me like I'm a meaty piece of prey just waiting to be hunted. I'm sure-"

"I love you!" hissed Nettlepaw over her rage-filled yowls. "And I thought you had known that! Don't you remember me nuzzling you when I ran away, and when you found me?"

Ice stared at him, dumbfounded. "Really? The way you talked to me, I assumed that you saw me as a naughty kit or something."

"You're wrong," Nettlepaw said miserably looking down at his paws. "And I'm so sorry. I know you don't want a mate. I know you said that we should just be friends." He looked back up at her, and she saw that his eyes were glazed with tears. "I really don't like the idea of getting revenge on the Clans, but I'd do anything for you..." he trailed off, voice barely a whisper.

"You would?" Ice asked. "You won't argue about it anymore?"

"After everything that's happened, oh I just don't know what's right or wrong."

"That's not important any longer," she meowed. "But you'll follow me, right?"

"Well...I just don't..."

"_Shhh," _she growled. "_You'll follow me, right?" _

Nettlepaw seemed to shrink under her sharp, cold glare. His own eyes dimmed and darted from one place to another, but never, for a fraction of a heartbeat, crossed over her. She tried to heavy the intensity of her gaze, and now his fur stood on end, he felt violated and afraid.

She bent over and whispered ever so softly in his ear, "_You'll follow me, right?" _

He looked to have been swallowing a bone, the way he swallowed, the way he stood there. His lips parted as he breathed, "Yes, of course."

* * *

"Slither, how about you show me what you got," Ice snarled. "I'd really like to see how you've progressed over the moons I've been here."

The scarred ginger she-cat looked away defiantly. "I refuse to do something so _demeaning. _Everyone knows that this will only show that you wish humiliate me."

"So what I'm hearing, is that you don't think you can do it," Ice hissed.

"Don't think that you can pull that one on me," spat Slither, eyes rounding in fury. "I simply refuse to fight _you _of all cats."

"Well then, I guess you really are a coward...scarface."

If Ice had learned anything, it's that Slither had a deep sensitivity to that name. Whatever was behind those deep red slashed across her nose and cheeks, they really meant something to her, and that's why Ice would use it. It was cruel, yes, but it had an affect.

Slither nearly fell off her own paws upon hearing that. She whipped to face Ice, and before she knew it, the ginger she-cat came racing at her. Slither leaped and tore her claws through the air, and then they connected with Ice's face. She cried out in surprise and pain as blood was drawn from the stinging scratches. She recoiled, watching as Slither landed with a grunt and then lifted her paws. Forcefully, she brought them over Slither's neck, pinning the Alley Cat.

She coughed weakly and then glared up at her opponent. Ice smiled mockingly and then put more of her weight down of the cat's neck. Slither groaned, and then made a surprising move. Using her hind legs, she lifted herself slightly off of the ground and then shot forward, barreling into Ice's chest. Ice shrieked at the impact and flew back. This time, Slither pinned her, and since she was larger and stronger, Ice could barely move.

Just barely.

She strained herself and reached up to sink her teeth into Slither's paw. Slither jerked back in surprise which gave Ice just enough time to roll, spring to her paws, and aim a powerful blow at the ginger she-cat's shoulder.

And just like that, Ice had the upper hand again, able to pin Slither in the right places to restrict any comfortable movement in anywhere other than her ears and tail.

"I have to admit," Ice said bitterly as Slither glared up. "You've really improved since I've been here. I guess I really am helping you pathetic Twolegplace cats!" She laughed as the she-cat below her seethed. "Submit?"

"Never," was the sour reply.

"Okay," she chirped. "I'll just stay here then."

Slither was silent and she made no effort to move. Ice narrowed her eyes and pushed her paw down the ginger cat's shoulder blade. There was a slight clicking sound and Slither cried out in pain.

"Oh, what was that?"

"You...you..." Slither moaned, voice a dark rasp of pain. "You dog-souled, daughter of a demon! I'd rather throw myself and everything I've ever loved off a cliff into some sharp stalagmites than call you my commander!"

Ice let out a laugh. "I'd love to watch you do that." She pressed her paw deeper into Slither's back and she shrieked again, this time with a haunting highness to her usually low voice. "Submit?"

"You..."

"Submit."

She was dead silent for a while, and still, not even a tremble to move her body. Then, just loud enough for Ice to hear, she whimpered her surrender.

"Thank you," meowed Ice, and she got off of Slither. The ginger cat let out a gasp of relief, wavering and slow. "Keep working on you battle moves."

Slither turned her head. "You aren't serious," there was more fury to her voice than anything. "You better be joking." She gazed into Ice's smug face for a while longer. "I...we...that's it! We don't deserve this? What did we ever do to deserve this? I'll get them to rise up. You'll see that we aren't helpless cowards! How do you sleep at night?"

Ice smiled. "Peacefully, scar-face."

**Gosh...Ice is brutal. I hope you all understand why she is suddenly back at the top of her game. She knows what to do, so she has her confidence and bravery back. Which clearly means trouble for everyone else...**

**Nightstorm: I bet I could take on Ice!**

**Me: Trust me, you can't.**

**Nightstorm: I bet I could! You watch! *runs off***

**Me: Wait! Have you forgotten?**

**Nightstorm: Oh yeah! Make sure you reviewwwwww! **

**~Destiny (and Nightstorm **


	45. Chapter 44- The Announcement

**A question answered that most of you have seemed to ask has to do with what was the promise Ice made to Nettlepaw. I'm so sorry that I didn't make that clear enough. She promised to look him in the eye. Nothing major.**

**Anyway, thanks for reviewing! I know this is short and poorly delivered. I didn't proof read. Nightstorm?**

**Nightstorm: Born of True Destiny does not own Warriors. **

Chapter Forty-Four

A few days had past and she had Pine and Flare come to the center of the alleyway.

"Both of you had trained in different ways," she began, once the brothers had sat down before her. "One of you with a father, warm and easy-going, and the other with me, cold and brutal. Each of you grew and again, in different ways, and now the time has come for me to see it."

Flare laughed. "I'm sure you'll be very impressed with what you're about to see, Commander Ice," he said excitedly. "I've worked very hard."

"So have I," Pine put in, pleasing Ice as she noticed how he had grown in his confidence.

"I'm sure you both have worked hard," she told them. "But now it's time to see _how _hard. Last time you two met in a fight, Flare was the triumphant cat." She looked away from them and into the distance as if to stare into the memory of that fight. "Let's see if he will rise victorious for a second time."

"He won't," Pine growled eagerly. He turned to his brother, smiling darkly.

"Okay then," Ice replied. "Go."

For the first time, Pine was the first to attack, ramming into Flare's chest. Flare gasped painfully for breath as the impact knocked the wind out of him. He collapsed to the ground and heaved, the perfect time for Pine to wrestle him into place. He had him pinned for a while, and Flare seemed to recover from attack to swipe his paw through the air. Pine raised his head, watching the paw fly by his nose.

At the right moment, Flare's shoulder was exposed at Pine and the smaller brother lunged to grab it with his teeth. Flare rolled, taking Pine with him, and suddenly, Flare had the upper hand, holding Pine down with his front paws and clawing his belly with the hind. He dodged strike after strike, moving from one side to the other swiftly, until one blow came so blindingly fast, that Flare didn't even know it was coming until he was on the ground.

"Ha!" laughed Pine. "I win!"

"Not yet, you haven't," Flare snarled and he sprang from the ground, bowling his brother over in a flurry of flashing claws. Ice watched them longer and her ears flicked in the slightest surprise that blood was being spilled. That had happened before, but this was more out of anger and hatred than just the goal of a training session.

But she did not stop them.

Flare stuck his claws into Pine's hind leg with a clumsy grip. As Pine twisted and kicked, Flare recoiled, groaning at the wound just made in his flank.

"Where'd-Where did you learn to do that?" he asked, wincing.

"Ice, where else?" Pine replied cooly. "That's the thing about training with her: she'll make you better at everything. Everything. Give up yet?"

Flare had a deep look of uncertainty dancing in his eyes, like a pile of ash that still had a burning chip of wood within. It bounced up and down, like he was trying hard to decide. "Well..." He said after a while. "I-I don't want..." He trailed off under the piercing gazes of both Ice and Pine. "I give up."

Pine leaped with excitement. "Yes! I win! You hear that, Ice, I win!"

Ice gave him a dark grin that appeared to narrow his happiness. "Great job, I'm proud." Her gaze sliced through Flare. "You keep working."

"Yes," he responded, shaking, "Commander Ice."

She turned away from them. That would be the last training session she would ever hold, though she didn't need to let them know quite yet. She had working out how to tell the Alley Cats that she was abandoning them without a leader. She didn't need to let them down easily, she just needed to sound fierce, and keep it that way for once.

Nettlepaw sat off to the side, waiting for the announcement himself in case he needed to back her up, especially against cats like Slither. Then they would go, and they would leave behind the alley as if they were nothing to them.

She strode to the Twolegnest and climbed to the ledge, before sitting briskly and looking out to the alley. They all looked oblivious. Some licked their wounds they'd earned from training, others ate their prey and talked to one another, and some had already noticed she was there.

Ice yowled for the rest of them to hear.

As they congregated below her, she tried hard to conceal her smile. Ice let her gaze travel to Nettlepaw below her and was surprised to see how uncertain and _scared _he looked. She narrowed her eyes at him, and he must've felt them on the back of his head because he turned and stared at her with a pleading look in his amber eyes.

_What's wrong? _she mouthed, but he didn't seem to understand, and he turned back to the gathered cats before him.

She did as well, trying to concentrate on what she was about to tell them. "I have to say," she began, trying to sound as bitter as always, "You all have really improved since I first became your Commander. Really you have, it's no joke. Even though you all couldn't even begin to compete with me or Nettlepaw, it was rather _fun _to see how you've got better." She paused looking at the curious gazes each Alley Cat fed her.

"This is not a normal announcement. It is not to tell you a cat is joining our ranks or that we need to step up our game."

She saw Nettlepaw flinch below.

Ice looked down at him again angrily, and spoke again. "Nettlepaw and I," she spoke his name with warning, "have found a greater purpose for ourselves far, far away. We will be leaving the alley as soon as we are ready."

She couldn't believe the angry yowls of protest that boomed beneath her as she spoke. She had expected them to rejoice at her departure, because even though she was close to abandoning them, her ways would most likely be turned around.

Slither was the first to speak. "You are _detestable_!" she screeched which was followed by a roar of agreement. "Sure you are cruel and unforgiving to us all, treating us with prejudice and as crow food, but what _right _do you have to just leave us behind in the dust?!"

Ice parted her jaws to speak but she was cut off by Bolt's furious meow. "You scarred and had my sons wound each other just so you can betray and abandon us in the end? Who do you think you are?"

His words surprised her. He had followed her all this time, and now he was erupting with total wrath.

Zoey and Rosemary both rushed forward, yowling, and if Ice wasn't high up on the ledge, she wouldn't have reacted quick enough to escape them. Nettlepaw blocked their path to the ledge, and when Zoey raked her claws along his face, Ice jumped down, shoved them both away, nudged Nettlepaw forward and ran.

"Commander Ice!"

She skidded to a halt, paralyzed by the sorrow in that voice. For a moment she couldn't see him, but then she looked down, and standing there, confusion and sadness in his eyes, was Pine.

"Commander Ice, where are you going?"

"Out of my way," she snarled. She could hear the thump of paw steps behind her, and in desperation, flung Pine to the side with a powerful blow to his side and raced ahead, catching up after Nettlepaw.

Ice skirted the pond and a bed of cat tails and burst into the Twoleg neighborhood, Nettlepaw flanking her side. She ran until she was sure they had lost him, and then she stopped, panting.

The dark gray tom glared at her. "You idiot! How did you not think that they would try and attack us then?"

Ice's green gaze sliced deep into his and he looked away. "Don't even call me that again. We escaped, didn't we? And I doubt they'd come looking for us. What good would that do?"

Nettlepaw sighed. "I just hope it doesn't happen with the Clans."

Ice smiled at him. "Are you kidding? That was fun!"

He sighed again. "I'll never understand you."

"I'll never understand myself," she replied.

**Bleh. I didn't like writing that. I'm sorry that it was rushed and sloppy and sudden and bad. **

**Nightstorm: And thus, her true writing talent shines through.**

**Me: Shut up! I can easily replace you for someone else as my OC. **

**Nightstorm: NONONONONONONONONO! You're good, you're really good at writing! Heh heh...heuh...ugh.**

**Me: Huh.**

**~Destiny (and Nightstorm)**


	46. Chapter 45- Before leaving

**Hello my wonderful lovelies. Thank you for reviewing! Hope you enjoy. **

**Nightstorm: When are you going to tell them about the story you are planning for me?**

**Me: Because that isn't confirmed yet. Just do the frickin' disclaimer!**

**Nightstorm: Fine. Born of True Destiny does not own Warriors. **

Chapter Forty-Five

She heard his paw steps thump over the fallen leaves moments before their eyes met. In the arriving darkness of night, his pelt looked like shadow you could not see through, it was one so solid and black under the density of the overhanging branches. His eyes were round and confirming, like he was speaking to her with them. The slight dip of his head let her know that he was ready.

Nodding back at him, she gazed at the tiny moving figure between them. It scuffled among the plants behind the trees, oblivious to them. She didn't bother to be careful as she leaped at it, because that wasn't the point. She yowled and landed intentionally right before it, scaring it away and into his claws.

As he delivered a killing bite, he looked up at her. "What'd I tell you?" he said, smiling. "Fourth time's a charm!"

"Oh, Nettlepaw," Ice called back to him. "You know we failed before because forest prey is much smarter than Twolegplace prey."

"Also because you're a terrible hunter," he said back with a teasing tone.

Ice couldn't help but grin. There had to be some way to lighten the mood a bit. They had run from the alley just earlier that day and even though Ice enjoyed the rush of adrenaline that came from it, her heart felt like it had been weighed down by the realization that they were leaving, not that she would miss those weakling soft-hearts. And Nettlepaw was very upset with how things had worked out, but he couldn't argue too much. He promised that he would follow her, so follow her he shall.

They had been trying to hunt since sunhigh that day and now the only sign of that sun was the pale gray light that floated weakly upon the horizon. She could only see the dark silhouettes of things in the forest they stood in now, the only light to guide them, the eyes of their companion.

She heard her belly rumble with hunger, and closer up now, she could see that the mouse they had caught was small and bony, but she supposed it would do.

Ice flicked her tail. "Should we head over to your tree where we can see things better?" Light always emitted from the inside of Twoleg nests in the early hours of the night.

A slight movement through the darkness told Ice that her friend was shaking his head. "No. It would probably be best if we stayed in here for the night. Those Alley Cats could be looking for us."

"For what reason? I thought it wasn't worth it to kill us."

"Everyone likes revenge, Ice," he said knowingly.

She glared at him as he spoke. They both knew what he was talking about. "You fox-heart," she said.

He laughed softly. "Are we going to eat of what?"

Her belly rumbled again. "Yes. Please."

They settled down across from each other, the mouse between their paws. Nettlepaw took the first bite and while chewing, nudged the prey at her. She took a bite of it, feeling better now that she was eating. She pushed the mouse over to Nettlepaw and asked him something.

"How do you feel about leaving?"

He looked a little unsure at the question. "What do you mean exactly?"

Ice curled her paw inward. "I mean exactly what I said."

"Well..." he trailed off, in thought. His eyes gazed right through her and into the broad darkness ahead. "What we are doing, I feel incredibly, _incredibly _uncertain about it. I know it is wrong, but at the same time, it's like I should go along with it. Is that what you were asking?"

"More or less," she rumbled. "But how do you feel about leaving the Twolegplace?"

He nodded, understanding. "I see. Well, I've been here for quite a while, being back in the forest, even though these woods are particularly close to everything, it does send some shivers down my spine."

"I like it," Ice said proudly. "The darkness suits me."

Nettlepaw laughed, but it was an uneasy laugh, and his voice was high and wavering.

Ice cleared her throat. "Anyway, my thoughts. I cannot wait to get away from all of this. Especially those Alley Cats. They were so needy and stubborn."

"Stubborn?" Nettlepaw echoed with bewilderment. "They did everything you said."

"Not all of them," Ice murmured, thinking of Slither. "And they couldn't have the least bit of respect for themselves? Sure they had every right to be afraid of me, but bowing down at my paws isn't helping me see them as loyal warriors. That's just making me see them as pathetic weaklings."

"So you aren't going to miss anything about them?" questioned Nettlepaw.

"Should I?"

"Didn't they teach you something about yourself?"

Ice glanced at him like the answer was obvious. "Not really. Sure they took part in actually _showing_ me that something was wrong, but I really owe it all to you."

"Great," Nettlepaw said, dragging the word for several heartbeats.

Ice smiled with amusement at him. "Uncomfortable?"

"Very," he replied. "You know that I think that this is so incredibly wrong, what we are about to do. Ice, don't you worry about the possibilities? These Clans aren't Alley Cats. They are stronger, meaner and smarter, not to mention the skill that they have. What are you planning on doing? Killing them off one by one?"

"To be honest, I'm not fully sure on what the plan is," admitted Ice, "But I know for certain that this is what I must do, or things for me, will just be...I can't even explain it."

Despite the dead seriousness to her tone, Nettlepaw looked angered, but he said nothing, and tore off a remaining piece of meat from the mouse viciously. Ice curiously watched him, wondering what he wanted to say, but he never glanced her way.

Once the mouse was cleaned to the bone, Nettlepaw and Ice looked for a place to spend the night. The next day, they would begin their journey back to the Clans.

Soon enough, they found a sheltered dip in the ground sheltered by a thick layer of branches and leaves above. Not even a speck of black sky could have been seen from where they were. Ice curled up first, and realized how tired she was the moment she put her head down. Nettlepaw settled beside her, his fur hardly touching her except for a few hairs along his spine that tickled the tip of her ear. It made her think of how they were so close, but so far, how he agreed with her, but they were never on the same page. Ice sighed, thinking that she was upset about it, but with a jolt, she realized that she wasn't.

She felt absolutely nothing.

* * *

_A new dream came that night, and this time she hoped it was a good one. She could feel the world opening up around her, preparing her for her night visions. The blackness dissolved around her, leaving her standing in a dark clearing, the only signs of light, an eerie glow from somewhere in the distance. _

_But it was enough for her to see what she needed to. Dead trees with branches like long claws stretched from the fog-covered ground the the black sky. The grass- or what was left of it -was hardly visible through the murky air that sat heavily over her paws. _

_Ice flicked her gaze from side to side, trying to distribute a figure from the dark atmosphere. She knew where she was now, but something was missing, something that tied it all together. _

_"Come out," she heard herself call, voice fearless and even challenging. "I no longer fear you."_

_Silence. Stillness. _

_"Are you out there, watching me?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at the surrounding trees that circled the clearing. Seeing it now, suddenly made her feel like she was trapped, her confidence dropped, but only so slightly. _

_More silence. More stillness._

_"Do you think I was born yesterday?" Ice asked. "You aren't going to fool me, nor are you going to scare me. You brought me here for a reason. Now show yourself, so we can settle whatever crow food things you have to say to me." _

_Nothing. _

_"Typical. Try to make me feel secure and alone before you pop out of nowhere and frighten me out of my fur. That's not happening again. I'm ready for you this time." _

_Somewhere, but yet from nowhere, a voice rose to her ears. "Do you not appreciate me?" _

_Ice squinted and looked around, searching for where the voice came from. _

_"Don't look around. Look within. Don't you remember it by now? We joined together, so we can could finally accomplish what we have wanted all of this time. Perhaps, my friend, it took you longer than I ever would have expected, but you have at last realized the true purpose of all of this." _

_White mist rose from the ground, following a single pattern of movement, swirling around each other until it was the form of a cat. Too glowing green eyes opened from the head, and glared expectantly at Ice. _

_She felt lightheaded, different. Something was wrong. "You-you! I-what is this?"_

_"It's understandable that you are confused, but I still have my grip on you. You're still trapped." _

_"Trapped?"_

_The misty white cat before her laughed. "Yes, trapped. Let's take a test, shall we? Do you remember the task? Of getting revenge on the Clans?"_

_Slowly, it began to flow back. "Yes?" _

_"Is it a question or an answer?"_

_"An answer! Yes!" Ice didn't no why, but she was afraid of herself, but her mind was still mostly clouded with fog, so all thoughts escaped her until she was forced to focus her attention back to the cat. _

_"Good," it hissed. "This is just a little message from me to you. Never. Back. Down. Listen to no one but yourself. Take the first answer and go. This isn't some sort of assessment, you know, where you can go and change your tactic half way through when you're falling through the floor. No, this is huge, and you will make sure you remember that!"_

_Ice nodded, blinking. _

_"Good," it growled. "I'd hate for you to go back to your old self again just because of some little thought that changed your mind." _

_Ice shrunk back. "I don't understand."_

_"And you won't," the creature snarled. "I'll make sure you don't remember a word you heard tonight, except for that single thought in you head. Sweet dreams, Ice." _

_The mist swirled again, the eyes fading to nothing but darkness as everything seemed to snake its way around her, within in her, until she was left with nothing but a sheer blackness to fall into. _

**Eh? Good? Bad? Okay? Tell me in review!**

**Oh my gosh, I feel like there is so much to the story unexplained. I wish I had time to make it all make sense, but I don't. We are nearing the end, my lovelies! Keep reading! **

**Nightstorm: And reviewing!**

**Me: That's right. And review! **

**~Destiny and Nightstorm**


	47. Chapter 46- Planning?

**Thank you all so very much for reviewing! I am trying to think about how many more chapters we'll have. Not including the epilogue, up to five, or less. Enjoy this chapter, even though it's short. :P**

**Nightstorm: Born of True Destiny doesn't own Warriors **

Chapter Forty-Six

Ice woke with a head ache.

It felt like an adder has slithered into her head and wrapped itself around her mind. There was a slight ringing in her ears, and the wind that swayed the trees seemed blocked out from her hearing. It was dark, but only because of where she was, for when she looked off a tree-length or two away, she could see the golden light peaking through the branches.

Something dropped beside her and she looked over. Nettlepaw stood there with a sparrow at his paws and a smile on his face. He said something.

"What?" Ice asked loudly.

"I said, _Good morning!_" Nettlepaw said at the same volume. "Are you okay?"

"No," Ice replied, lowering her head between her forepaws. "My head hurts."

Nettlepaw sat. "Maybe you should just eat. We didn't exactly have a lot last night. Finish the sparrow, and then get some sleep. We'll continue the journey tomorrow."

Something clicked in her mind. "Oh, yeah. Wait a moment. No! We have to leave today. The sooner the better!" She began to stand.

"No," Nettlepaw growled sternly, placing a paw lightly on her back. She found herself lying back down. "Eat, and rest. You don't want to embark on a long journey in pain. You'll just make yourself sick. I know you were a medicine cat once, but trust me, you have no idea what you're talking about."

"Is this all just to get me to change my mind about going?" Ice questioned, glaring at him.

Nettlepaw looked at her with a serious expression. "As much as I want to, I know that I can't change your mind about this, and I made a promise to follow you. If this is to make you feel better, if this is to make you feel happy, then I'll go with it."

Ice closed her eyes tight. It sounded like he was speaking to fast and the world spun? What had happened last night? "Alright, I'll do as you say, but the moment I begin to feel better, than we're leaving."

Nettlepaw didn't say anything as he stepped back to let her eat. Ice ate the sparrow slowly, because every time she looked up from her meal, dizziness would strike her as hard as a gust of storm wind. Once she had choked down a few gulps of meat, she turned away from the food and laid down her head. She would sleep again, and she would wake again, ready for this, because she couldn't wait any longer.

Ice wanted to dream of nothing that morning, because the spinning and confusing patterns of colors and sounds that spiraled around her would make her feel worse, but that was something that she couldn't control. She did see something, it was brief, but she saw it. First a flame sparked to life through the darkness, and around it sat silver twinkles; stars. Then, as soon as she saw it, it was gone, like it had never existed in the first place.

Then she felt a cold chill, wrapping around her as if to freeze her, but she wouldn't allow it. Her own frosty strength fought back, before she was left again, as she was before.

The rest of it came swiftly, like it was for her to control, but she had not begun trying yet. Ice tried to shut out the noise and the sights, fearing they would make her sick, but something about the elaborate, confusing visions spinning around in her head, gave her confidence and power like she hadn't expected, and as it all soon began to draw to a close, the rocks that seemed to stuff her head, vanished, leaving her light-hearted, and calm.

She jolted awake, and remained in the exact place she had fallen asleep in, though this time, her headache was gone. Ice smiled, knowing what would happen next.

Nettlepaw sat off in the forest, ears flicking at every chirp the birds made, but other than that, he was completely motionless. His fur didn't even seem to move as the light greenleaf breezes passed. Ice sighed loudly.

His tail brushed the forest floor and his head turned slightly, though his eyes were still invisible behind his head. "Feeling better, are we?"

Ice purred, knowing he detected the pleasure in her sigh. "We're leaving...now. I don't think I'll be able to stand staying in the same place any longer."

Now, Nettlepaw was walking toward her as she stood.

"Do you have any memory of where it is?"

He shrugged his shoulders in response. "A little, though keep in mind that I wanted to escape the Clans in the first place." He stopped before her. "Do you remember?"

"I know I came from moorland."

Nettlepaw's eyes widened as he took in the words. "Ah, so we'll have to go back through the Twolegplace?"

Ice stole a sideways glance at the direction they came from. "It seems so. Let's hope we don't run into any Alley Cats on our way out."

They managed to find their way out of the tangled branches and solid shadows that seemed to greet them at every turn. When they broke from the trees, the sun cast blinding light over their eyes and Ice squinted against it. Nettlepaw continued walking down to the Thunderpath that waited for them a tree-length off. Ice followed.

As she set her paws on the rough surface, she cringed as the heat settled into her pads, but she caught up with her companion and began speaking.

"So, I dreamt this morning, while I was resting," she told him. He faced forward, but his pricked ears told her he was digesting every word that came out of her mouth, "And I think I have a rough idea of the plan."

"Do you?" he asked, curiosity hanging on to his tone, but there was also a sense of his usual uncertainty he had every time she spoke of this.

"Yeah," Ice answered. "I don't know when exactly we'll attack. We'll probably start with ThunderClan. Sometime when they would be paying attention to something else, so we catch them unguarded."

"Wait a moment - you want to catch them all at once?" Nettlepaw asked, bewildered.

"Well, yeah. I want to let them know right away who they'll be answering too. I want to show them immediately how much pain they have caused me."

Nettlepaw's amber eyes sliced into hers questioningly. "Don't you think you're overestimating your strength, Ice? How power can one or two cats have over an entire Clan?"

"I told you," Ice said. "Surprise. I'll kill the leader first, and then the deputy. And once-" She broke off, realizing what she had said. _The deputy. _

Her father.

The mere thought of him sent a fiery wrath coursing through every inch of her. His cruel, twisted actions and words towards her and towards the Clan's honor was more than enough to feel the pure desire for revenge.

"Spot something wrong there?"

Her gaze flicked to Nettlepaw. "No. Actually, everything is perfect. As I was saying..." she glanced at the ground. "Once they have no leader, I'll bring it upon myself to give them the same pain they have given me."

The only response Nettlepaw gave her was a nod. He didn't speak to after that until they made it to the end of the neighborhood, where across a much larger, wider, blacker Thunderpath was thousands of tree-lengths of moor.

She looked at him. He looked at her.

"Go get them, Ice," he said.

**Of course he doesn't really mean it, but he loves her, so he'll say what she wants to hear. **

**Anyway, we're getting close, so keep up with reading and review!**

**~Destiny**


	48. Chapter 47- Two bloody memories

**Okay, thanks for reviewing! Enjoy. **

**Nightstorm: Destiny doesn't own Warriors, fool! **

**Me: ****_Nightstorm _**

**Nightstorm: What? You don't! **

Chapter Forty-Seven

By the time the sky was a black landscape with a crimson river flowing through at the horizon, Ice felt that they had covered a lot of ground. Back when she was...upset, she couldn't keep track of how far she journeyed, but it was against the numbing cold of a blizzard. Perhaps they really weren't that far from the forest.

Nettlepaw flanked her side, walking in long strides. If Ice didn't know any better, she'd say that he was just as excited as she was to make it there, only she did know better. He just wanted to get it over with, or just make her happy, or both.

In the silence of twilight, Ice felt her spine tingle against the quiet. Beside her, Nettlepaw was stiff. She turned her head a bit to look at him. "Do you - want to stop for the night?"

He shook his head. "There's no where to stop. These moors are as bare as a rat's tail. Let's keep going."

"Do you want to talk?"

He shot her a sideways glance. "Since when are you so interested in talking?"

"Well," she replied, "I just, don't want you to be so uncomfortable. I know you don't want to this, but you are, so at least...well, let's talk."

Nettlepaw was silent, and it took Ice a moment to realize he was caught in his thought, wondering what to say. Finally, he blurted out quickly, "What would have wanted your medicine cat name to be?"

She was taken aback. "What kinda of question is that?"

"I don't know, it was the first thing that came to mind."

Ice scowled at her paws, white against the dark ground. She could see that blood had dried on her claws and left her with rusty, red-brown flecks coating them over. She sighed. "Well, I actually _earned _my full name." She closed her head and shook her head. "No, that's not it. I - I really was just given it. They thought I deserved it, but I didn't. I..." she trailed off, not knowing what else she could say.

Nettlepaw's voice was sympathetic. "Do you remember what it was?"

Ice hesitated. "Frozenleaf," she breathed. Memories flushed in of that night at the half-moon Gathering. She screamed, and ran away while the other medicine cats watched her with horror in their eyes. She opened her eyes again to see the real world, because her flashback was too much.

_You do not feel the pain of the past..._said a voice within her head, eerie and breathy.

Ice cleared her throat. "Never mind me. What were you hoping would have been your warrior name?"

Nettlepaw shrugged. "I never really gave it much thought. I was too busy thinking about what my name would have been if I _wasn't_ a warrior." He gave a little laugh. "But now that you ask...maybe Nettlefang or Nettlestrike. Something fierce like that."

"Really?" asked Ice. "I would have given you something much more compassionate. Like Nettlecreek or Nettlecloud."

"Nettlecloud?" he echoed. "Stonepaw and Smallpaw would never stop making fun of me!" He laughed again, but it was strained with sorrow. "You said they earned _their_ warrior names?"

Ice remembered saying that once before. "Oh, yeah. I don't recall what they were exactly. Sorry."

Nettlepaw made a small noise. "Eh. That's okay. I don't _really_ care all that much."

They were very silent for the next few moments until again, Ice couldn't stand it. "Anything else you'd like to talk about?"

Nettlepaw shook his head no. "Maybe we should stop."

When the night finally took over the twilight is when they saw a tree through the darkness. They walked faster, eager for a rest.

When they reached the tree. She and Nettlepaw climbed to it's lowest branches. Once he sat, Nettlepaw wrinkled his nose.

"What?" she asked.

"Do you smell something...rotting?" Nettlepaw asked her, swinging his head around to look at the ground.

Ice lifted her muzzle to the air and sniffed. He was right. The air was heavy with the polluted scent of something around there decaying. She held her breath against the horrible odor. "I can't sleep with that. We should find a new tree-"

"Ice, look."

Nettlepaw was staring intensely at something below them. Ice followed his wide-eyed gaze to a figure lying in the grass. Suddenly the smell slammed down even harder than before. "Did something did here? Forget this, Nettlepaw, let's go!"

He didn't budge. "Come closer."

"What?" she exclaimed, disgusted. "No! What will it take for you to move!"

"_Look_."

Ice was beginning to feel tired of fighting him. She leaned in closer to get a better look at the body. The moonlight shined over golden-brown tabby fur, matted at the shoulder with blood. The night lights also glistened in the reflection of an eye.

A single, half-eaten eye.

Ice gasped, and looked further. It's belly looked sliced up in pieces around it and chunks of meat from other areas of the body were missing in the neck, face, flank and legs. She could she bone beyond the rotting flesh.

Bile rose in her throat because another body resembling the first caught her sight at the corner of her eye. Nettlepaw followed her eyes and gasped loudly.

"Nettlepaw," she whispered, stomach churning. "I would usually laugh at the sight of this. What am I not laughing?"

But it was her own thoughts, not Nettlepaw, that answered.

_Arrow, and Blade. _

She gagged at the realization and tore her gaze away. "_Let's get out of here. Now_!"

Nettlepaw and Ice raced down the trunk of the tree and leaped past the bodies. They ran until all breath had escaped them, and collapsed on the ground, not caring where they were, only that they were away from that horrible sight.

"What...was that?" Nettlepaw panted, horror gripping his voice.

Ice didn't reply. She couldn't tell him what it really was. She needed him for the Clans, and telling him the truth would drive him away. She swallowed the bitter taste in her throat and said, "I have no idea."

* * *

Stirring beside her woke Ice the next morning.

Her eyes fluttered upon and her first thought was about the night before, but she pushed the painful memory aside and looked up to see Nettlepaw groggily getting to his paws.

She mumbled a greeting and stood as well, and looked over the plains, dew shining from the morning sunlight, but as she then turned to her dark gray companion, a sense of overwhelming darkness swept over everything.

"Look," Ice said, knowing what he was thinking. "Let's put last night behind us. Obviously a badger or fox or some sort of predator attacked those two cats and left them there for dead."

Nettlepaw didn't reply but agreement sparked in his amber eyes.

"Okay, shall we get going?"

"Do you think we're going the right way?" Nettlepaw asked hoarsely.

The incident last night told her that they were definetly going the right way. "Yes."

"Alright. Let's go."

The padded side by side towards the rising sun the cast an early morning glow to the brightening sky. Ice looked at it, and thought that perhaps it was a good sign, that where she was going and what she was doing was a growing triumph for her. Most of her kept that stuck thoroughly to her mind, but the small portion left of her, denied it. Why would there be a sign if there were no ancestors to give it to her? Were they warning the Clans of her arrival?

Ice growled at herself. Why did she always have to drag her mind into these thoughts? It was thoughts like these that led her away from her happiness and concentration. The only way it seemed to get out of it was to talk to Nettlepaw, and never was he easy to speak to. There always seemed to be something there that just left her thinking even more. And at this time, it felt especially wrong to speak to him. He looked so shaken up.

Somehow she had to keep her mind off StarClan. "Hey, want to hunt?" she asked quickly.

They caught a field mouse and a crow and ate in silence. Why did it always seem to bother her? Was she so used to the noise of the alleyway that she had forgotten what it was like to be engaged in such a peaceful state?

_Ugh! Why must I think so much? Can't I just focus on walking and going the right direction? I also need to work on my plan, but no. I have to think continuously about those stupid Alley Cats and those stupid and 'almighty' dead cats! _

Nettlepaw swallowed a bite of the crow. "I don't think it should take much longer to make it too the forest. Wpinn I left, I was journeying for about a quarter moon, and that was only because I didn't know where I was going. I'd say we'll make it too the Clans in...I don't know another sunrise?"

Ice nodded. So the blizzard really had disoriented her sense of speed. That made sense. "Great. The sooner we get there the better. I'm going to have to kill something other than a mouse or I'll go crazy."

Nettlepaw smiled awkwardly. Ice was almost sure he heard him wince.

The continued on their journey for the rest of the day without stopping. When the sun was well-behind them and vanishing beneath the moor is when the ground got a little rocky. They padded downhill until the ground dropped steeply a few fox-lengths. The ground felt hollow.

"Is it just me, or does it feel a little chilly?" asked Nettlepaw.

Ice waited a bit and realized he was right. The air was crisp and growing bitter. "Has time really past so quickly? It's leaffall already?" She remembered the forest the slept under the night before they felt. The ground had been little with brown and orange leaves that cracked under her pads. "Well, we should go inside. I think there's a cave under here."

They leaped down and slipped into the opening that welcomed them into a stone-floored cavern. One look around, told Ice of a memory she had.

She felt the ground slip out from under her when she realized where she was. Nettlepaw caught her on his shoulder and lowered her softly to the floor. The world spun around her. Nettlepaw hovered over her head and said something, but she couldn't hear. There was a shrill ringing in her ears.

_Greyson... _

Her head pounded with painful beats.

_Why do I keep coming across the death places of the cat's I've encountered? First it was Arrow and Blade, who I had mercilessly killed. And now it's Greyson, that cat that I allowed be mercilessly killed. _

Ice's thoughts slipped from her then, and the edges around her vision went black, just before the rest of it did.

**Okay, we only have about one or two more chapters before the epilogue. Seriously, we're that close! Stay tuned for more!**

**Nightstorm: And REVIIIIEEEWWW!**

**Me: Couldn't have said it better myself.**

**~Destiny (and Nightstorm)**


	49. Chapter 48- Painful thoughts and fights

**So many reviews from all of your amazing readers. We have to keep it up. We have two more chapters before the epilogue people, and just to clarify, there IS going to be a sequel that continues Frozenleaf's journey. As for this chapter, enjoy, and leave a review when you've finished?**

**Nightstorm: Born of True Destiny does not own Warriors **

Chapter Forty-Eight

She felt like she was in darkness for only moments by the time she opened her eyes again. She stared blankly at the cave ceiling, gray and dark. She heard nothing around her except for a whistling wind that sang eerily outside. Her mind felt blank and hollow, consisting of no thoughts or emotions. She watched as she closed her eyes again, and it all went dark and silent.

* * *

The next time she revealed her gaze, she was facing A different direction. The opening of the cave, gave off nothing but sheer blackness, a mark of the night, and the whistling wind she had heard earlier had turned to a shrill howl, and left her cold and shivering. She didn't move; her body was numb, and her thoughts were none.

Suddenly, warmth slipped into her pelt, and her eyes flicked up. She didn't see anyone looking down onto her, so she sighed, waiting for someone to speak.

A mumble sounded.

"Greyson?" her voice was as empty as her thoughts.

"Who is Greyson?"

A shape circled her and found her eyes, staring into them patiently.

She let it flood in to her blank mind, expecting nothing, but what she got was a sharp prick of sadness. She raised her head, eyes darting from corner to corner, like she was looking for something that was never there.

"Ice."

Her eyes found the shape - Nettlepaw - and her gaze shone with dread. She lifted herself on her aching paws. "He is dead isn't he? They're all dead!"

Nettlepaw appeared frazzled at the insanity in her voice, but he didn't move back. He moved closer and stood right before her as she collapsed, burying her head into his shoulder.

"They're all dead now, Nettlepaw," she whispered, sobbing now. "They're dead because of me."

Nettlepaw was still against her. She swore she couldn't even feel the rise and fall if his chest as he breathed. Finally, out of the silence, he whispered back, "You've asleep for a day. You fell asleep one night and woke up the next. Does that make any sense to you?"

She quieted her crying, digesting his words. "It's been a day?" she asked him.

He confirmed with a gentle nod.

"What is the moon like? Is it full?"

Nettlepaw's meow was rippled with confusion. "I, uh, I don't think so. Ice, what are you planning?"

Ice pulled away from him and looked up into his amber eyes, a small smile beginning to lift the corners of her lips. "I know the best time to attack," she told him. "A Gathering."

Her comapanion didn't copy her expression of happiness. "Best time? Are you sure?" He stepped back too. "Ice, I had my concerns about the first plan. Just us against the whole of ThunderClan, but now you're telling me that we have a chance against all _four _of the Clans?"

Ice's smile didn't falter. "It's perfect. They will all be there. They will all see that I mean it when I talk revenge. All of them, Nettlepaw. I'll destroy them all!"

"I don't think you hear the words coming out of your mouth."

"Of course I do!" she exclaimed. "Trust me when I say it's perfect. And if they were to attack, only three or four cat can surround me at a time, and that can't be too much of a problem. Besides, you'll be there to help me." She paused. "If they even recognize me, they'll underestimate my strength. They'll go easy on me."

"If you're trying to kill them, chances are they'll try to kill you right back."

Ice smiled at him like he wasn't serious. "Like I said," she laughed, "Trust me."

Nettlepaw stared at her disbelievingly. He finally emitted a long, deep sigh. "I don't know how I can argue with you unless you can see how it pans out for yourself. Ice, I need you to make another promise to me."

She waited.

"Promise me you won't die."

She threw her head back and laughed, the cackling sound echoing around the cave. "Of course I won't die! Do you not have faith me? You know me, I'm strong." She crouched, like she was about to attack something. "And those stupid Clan cats have a weakness. A little something called the warrior code. Those mouse-brained _words_ give the Clans their limits. We'll find our way to maneuver around it."

Nettlepaw clearly wasn't convinced, but he said nothing to argue. "Fine. Now tell me, who is Greyson?"

Ice winced as he said his name. She swallowed a sound of sadness and growled. "Don't you ask me that. I beg of you don't just leave it as it is, and let's continue our journey."

"But it is still late night, Ice. Wouldn't you much rather get going when the sun comes up...and when you have recovered from your sleeping spell? Those paws must not be good to walk on after an e tire day of not using them."

"No time," she said quickly, rushing past him. "Let's go. Now. If we're ever going to get there before tomorrow night at the full moon-"

"Right, right," Nettlepaw muttered. "Fine."

Ice stood, seeing how her paws felt after not being used for so long. For a moment they felt like they wouldn't hold her weight, and a tingling sensation swept through her legs, but the feeling ebbed away leaving only an icy ache that she knew would wear off after a while. "Shall we go?"

Nettlepaw turned and led her out of the cavern. The first thing she felt outside was a wall of freezing air falling down over her body, and she tried to convince herself that it was only the chilly leaf fall around them, but that same feeling iced it's way over her heart, like a warning, but she ignored it. How could anything be warning her actions? She was alone. No ancestors to guide her.

Through the rest of the night they pushed on. Nettlepaw seemed to trail sluggishly behind, his eyes heavy and his paw steps unbalanced. Ice didn't give a thought at him. They had to get there before the moon was full, and the Clans finished their Gathering. Everyone would feel her pain then.

When the sun rose in front of them is when the rocks slowly began to disappear, and were replaced by the same moor they had met a few days back. It had taken them so quickly to make it through this journey, but so long on the way to the Twolegplace. Ice shuddered at the cold of the blizzard as the memories of herself fighting against the bitter wind and snow, sticking to her face came flooding in.

_The past is behind you...look to the future! You can decide between painful memories or beautiful predictions. _This was the second time she heard a voice speak in her head. If she didn't know any better, she would have just guessed it was her own thoughts, though she was certain they weren't coming from her own mind.

Nettlepaw was panting behind her. Ice whipped around and growled, "What?"

He glared at her. "What do you think? How are you not exhausted?"

"Because I'm driven," she snarled. "You better lighten up and walk faster, or we'll never get there on time."

"Do you know how fast you've been walking?" asked Nettlepaw, baffled. "We're so close, right now! I say we rest until sunhigh, maybe eat something, and then get back on our paws. You can't possibly expect me to enjoy this."

"You're lucky we're not traveling in the blazing sun," Ice hissed, shooting him a callous glance. "Then you'd be bowing before me begging. We're continuing."

"Ice," Nettlepaw sighed. "We'll be in Clan territory before the sun sets. Do you really just want to wait around there where we can get caught by Clan cats?"

He had a point, but Ice didn't like to be wrong, so instead of admitting that she was wrong, she asked him something. "How are you so familiar with this area? It's been so long since you've came back to the Clans."

Nettlepaw replied simply. "I remember being here, near that tree -" he flicked his tail to a tall, ancient looking tree off in the distance, "- when a couple of rogues attacked me. I escaped, but still left them with a few scratched they wouldn't forget. I doubt they're here now, so we really should stop."

Ice didn't reply.

"Did you here me?"

"You're wrong. I think they're still here."

"What?"

"The scent is fresh. Really fresh."

Nettlepaw shook his head, astounded. "Well, isn't that chance! Do you think that could mean anything, Ice?"

_For the last time, _she snapped inside her mind, _StarClan doesn't watch me, and doesn't send any sort of omens or signs to me signaling danger or mistakes or anything! All faith has been lost. It is a mere coincidence. _Aloud, she said, "But it doesn't matter. I can take them." She raised her head to the sky and yowled, "Show yourself! We aren't afraid!"

Ice and Nettlepaw, both fixated their eyes on the tree that waved its branches to them as the wind attacked. She could have sworn that she saw something move at the base of the tree and stalked up slowly. She repeated her threat.

This time, a red cat with a missing ear revealed himself, yellow eyes like fire. Following him were two others, one a bright ginger she-cat with matching yellow eyes, and the last a black and white tom with a bed of scars covering his shoulders and flank. He looked the most intimidating, but even so, Ice wasn't afraid.

"Three?" Nettlepaw asked. "I thought there were only two of you." He directed his gaze to the black and white cat. "I've never seen you before."

He showed his stained yellow teeth. "I'm new around here."

The red tom stood taller, to show that he would speak. "You're in our territory, weaklings. Leave now, or feel our claws."

"I'd love to see you _try_ to lay them on me," snarled Ice.

"Ice..." Nettlepaw warned.

"So," the red cat hissed cooly. "We have a feisty little she-cat who is way to confident in herself, and a cowardly tom who doesn't want any trouble."

"I'm not worried about her," Nettlepaw told him. "You're the ones I fear for."

The red cat nodded. "I stand corrected. You're both way too confident in yourselves."

Part of Ice, a very little part, screamed at her, _Arrow and Blade! This is he same thing! You don't want to hurt them! _But the rest said, _Perfect practice for the Clans. _"Overly confident? Come at me."

The red cat chuckled. "It's your death bed." As quick as a snake, he lunged for her. She dodged just by a mouse-length and then turned her head, to snatch the red cat's single ear. He screeched as she pulled him back to leap on him and wrestle him to the ground.

By that time, the black and white tom and the ginger she-cat had attacked. The ginger she-cat went straight for Ice, who sensed her coming and reached up to grab her scruff and drag her down beside the red cat. Her claws sliced back and forth over their backs each time the tried to move. The red cat was the first to roll away from her claws and jump up, attacking her again. His teeth buried into her shoulder. Grunting at the pain and hot blood that rolled through her fur, Ice flailed her paws several times before finally striking something. The red cat's weight shifted and it was enough for her to twist and slip far enough to successfully grasp his own shoulder.

The ginger she-cat grasped her scruff and pulled her away. Once on her back, the ginger she-cat pinned her to the ground. The red cat came up behind and laughed. "I knew you couldn't beat us."

"Think again," she hissed and raked her hind claws down the belly of of the ginger cat. Then she lifted herself up and sliced her forepaws up the she-cat's chest to her neck. She crumpled to the ground, and before the red cat could even react, Ice spun around and rammed into him, getting a grip on his throat before biting down hard enough and listening to his gargled yowl before he collapsed in her jaws. She dropped him and whirled to look at the fight between Nettlepaw and the black and white cat.

Nettlepaw was pinned and by the looks of it, the attacked was about ready to sink his jaws into his neck. Ice ran at him and crashed into the black and white cat. In a frenzy of teeth and claws, Ice managed to slide her own across his belly, deep. He thrashed for a few minutes and then lay still in a pool of blood.

Ice turned to look at her friend. "You see? This is why I should destroy the Clans. When they see what I can do, they'll bow down before me or die trying to overpower my strength."

Nettlepaw just stared at her painfully.

She cocked her head. "Are you badly hurt?"

He shook his head, closing his eyes tightly.

"Then what is it?"

Ice noticed the bitterness in his voice, and it was difficult to ignore, but she said nothing, for the rest of the way there.

**Poor Nettlepaw. What do you think is on his mind? The next chapter is the last one before the epilogue. And I'm going to ask you right now not to hate me. It's sad. **

**But, hey! We'll have a sequel. Be excited! Frozenleaf's story is only beginning! **

**~ Destiny (Nightstorm)**


	50. Chapter 49- Shattered Spirit

**Prepare yourself for a long (AND IMPORTANT) author's note. **

**First, I mentioned this a few chapters ago, but I need to say this again because it centers around this chapter. In the prologue it is mentioned that Hailblaze is old, but since in the first chapter he is young, and it's only been two years. :P forgive me for that. **

**Along the same lines, no one recognizes Ice as Frozenleaf. This is because she was insignificant in their eyes, grew a little, and takes on a much more ruthless appearance, just to let you know. **

**I wrote the song that is written in this chapter. **

**And, I'm so so worried about this. Some of my readers have stopped reading and given me mean reviewing just after Lionfire was killed. This is a sad ending. Really disappointing. I BEG OF YOU NOT TO HATE ME, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE END OF FROZENLEAF'S STORY. THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL! **

**Nightstorm: Born of True Destiny does not own Warriors. Only this idea that will make you hate her. **

**Me: Not cool. I'm already totally scared. **

**Nightstorm: Eh. Whatever. Onto the final chapter! **

Chapter Forty-Nine

Trees spotted the moor and turned it to forest as late afternoon glared through the bare branches. Nettlepaw walked slowly behind Ice. He had been silent ever since they left those rogues. Ice wished she knew what he was thinking. What could his thoughts hold? What did the fight with those three cats put into his mind?

They padded on until the sun was gone and the air was crisp. Ice noticed Nettlepaw had stopped suddenly behind her. She turned to look at him. He was staring intently at something past her. She followed his gaze to a fallen tree.

"What?" she asked. "We have to keep moving. We're almost there, right?"

"We are here," Nettlepaw whispered back. "That's the log."

Ice didn't understand at first until it hit her. Past that fallen tree, just several fox-lengths away was Clan territory. She sucked in her breath. This was it. Stepping over that log would decide everything that would happen that night. She'd have to know, right then and there what she would do, who she would kill, what words she would say. That log was her future, and Ice couldn't have been more excited.

"Come on," she said, swiftly padding towards it. Ice stopped as she stood before the log, heart beating straight out of her chest.

"Just go," Nettlepaw snarled irritably. But it was more than annoyance that resided in his voice. It was something that Ice couldn't name. It was something that she had not heard before.

Ice sprang over the log, and when she landed on the cold ground, her heart stopped all together. There she was, once again in Clan territory, a place she didn't think she'd ever be again.

Nettlepaw was beside her. He looked at everything that surrounded them. Every tree, every blade of grass, every brown, crumpled leaf that trotted along the ground as breezes past, and every star. Here, each star was StarClan, and even though they weren't watching them, Ice felt a little different existing beneath them.

The moon hung in the air, a thin mist of clouds floating its way past. It was huge, silver, and full. And if they were to make it to the Gathering on time, they would have to move fast.

"Quickly, Nettlepaw, let's move."

She nudged him ahead of her and together they cautiously made their way through the trees. But the forest wasn't thick enough to conceal the sight of WindClan's moor to one side, and the roar of the gorge to the other side on RiverClan's territory. Being back there reminded her of her escape with Nettlepaw all those moons ago, and there they were now coming back the way they came to make the Clans pay their debt for all the pain they caused them. The taunting, the teasing and disbelief in them. The neglect and hurtful words and actions towards them. The very thoughts, not even the memories, brought seething wrath to Ice's veins.

_Yes, use that anger. Let them all pay for the pain they have caused you, _the voice whispered inside her mind. Ice felt around for any more hatred and fury locked up inside, and brought it to the outside. Her claws unsheathed and her eyes went to slits. Her lip curled to reveal her teeth, oh so sharp and dangerous. They would see the cat they ignored, and the monster they created.

A mixed scent of many cats found its way into Ice's nostrils. She breathed in the smell of the warriors that would soon be her victims. Her paws itched with each paw step she took closer to the Gathering place, until finally, she saw it.

As excited as she was, Ice stopped walking and gazed at it, mesmerized at the four great oaks that swayed in the wind, as if to greet her.

"It's...right...there," she said, breath escaping from her lungs. She turned to look at Nettlepaw, who stared at it along side her. That same look he had in his eyes earlier was still there, blazing like fury.

But that's when she realized it _was_ fury.

"Um...you ready?" she asked. "The sooner we do this, the better."

He said nothing.

"Come on. Don't you want to show your siblings a piece of your mind?"

He was still silent.

"Well, I've never been more ready for anything in my whole life. It's time to-"

"No."

Ice flinched. The anger in his eyes had found its way to his voice. Nettlepaw's gaze flicked to her own, fire waved its amber bands of light in his eyes as he stared at her.

"No!" he repeated, louder. "How could you, Ice? How could you be doing this to your kin?"

She was still dumbfounded by the intensity of his glare that she couldn't find words to speak with.

"I know they didn't treat you well, I know you never liked them, but is destroying everything they've known, their lifestyle, code of honor, beliefs really fair? Most of these cats didn't even know they were hurting you!"

Ice found her voice when he mentioned that. "I don't think you understand how much they did! They never treated any other cat like they treated me! Just because I was smaller, just because I was born to the wrong family, they felt the need to rub it in my face. Is that an answer? Good. Now let's go!"

Nettlepaw's teeth clamped down over her tail as she tried to head for Fourtrees. She gasped and turned back to him. "You fox-hearted...come on! They hurt you too, you must understand!"

"The thing is, Ice, I don't. They did something wrong, yes, but this is not how we should handle it!"

"So it's forgive an forget, isn't it, you just let them get away with their agonizing actions, that made us want to _leave_ in the first place? Think, Nettlepaw! You ran away from your life because of them!"

"You're wrong," he growled. "I left because Clanlife wasn't what I was uncomfortable with. I saw a better way to live out there and went ahead and took it. You're dragging me back to where I started out, the very same place I wanted to get away from, but you're turning it into something much worse!"

Ice snapped the air in front of his nose, causing him to flinch back. "You know, I'm not the only one who made a promise, you know. You said you'd follow me on this! It was to make me happy! And your backing out now?"

Nettlepaw gasped at her words, and then yowled, "Why do you think I said I'd do this? _Who was it for_?"

She hesitated for a moment, pondering what he was really asking. "Why, you did it for me? Because you never stopped loving me."

"That's wrong," Nettlepaw growled, but now a slight hint of agony had slipped its way into his voice. "It's all wrong. I fell in love with Frozenpaw, the cat that understood me and helped me look for a place to belong." Ice saw A tear slip from his eye. "And when I found you again, I swore nothing would ever have to change, because things were finally perfect, but I hadn't caught up with reality yet. You already had changed, but I never noticed because I was caught up in the memory of the cat I once did love."

Ice swallowed. "You are in love with me. I'm still the same cat."

"No," Nettlepaw snarled. "I fell in love with Frozenpaw. You are Ice. The murderer who coldly kills for the joy of it, and drags me into destroying a large group of cats that I once called my family. Maybe I would have gone through with it if I never realized that Frozenpaw is long gone, but _funny how it all looks different when you're different_."

Ice glowered up at him, as he did the same down to her. How dare he use those words that once meant so much to her?

But the next moment, she realized that it meant nothing now.

Frozenpaw was in love with Nettlepaw, just as he was in love with Frozenpaw. But Ice was never in that image. Things changed, so she could be happy, but Nettlepaw was never meant to be there.

"So you're not coming?" she asked.

"What do you think? Be lucky I don't-" he cut himself off with a shaky breath and closed his eyes. "Just go."

Ice stared at him for many heart beats as he stood there, trembling, but she finally turned away, and padded for Fourtrees. He was a strong cat, useful, and losing him to his weak instincts was a loss, but it didn't play with her emotions. She felt nothing but disappointment in him.

The oak tree directly ahead just kept growing taller as she advanced. A voice, muffled by the distance and the murmurs of others, soon faded into audibility. Ice froze at it. If she was correct, the voice belonged to Flickerstar.

She couldn't believe it. She was here, at her home place, where she would finally deliver the revenge they all deserved. Maybe it would go by quickly. Maybe it would take a very long time, but she had to begin now, or she'd lose her chance.

Ice was scared, but the excitement dominated it all.

She peered into the clearing. The backs of the four leaders faced her. The two closest cats were a black tom and a golden she-cat, whom Ice couldn't remember the names of. The farthest was a gray tabby, whose tail-tip bounced against the rock. A rush of anger swept through Ice as she remembered him as Breezestar, the ShadowClan leader that led an attack on ThunderClan and left Lionfire with his earned warrior name, she flicked her gaze to the final cat, the ginger tabby. Flickerstar.

Ice made sure she remembered the plan. She would attack him first, force the other leaders off the rock, and then kill ThunderClan's deputy, her father Oakshade. Once she had played it through her mind several times, she took a deep breath.

"Four nights ago, Pinekit was birthed to Sweetbriar, and we have three new warriors, Fuzzheart, Gorsefeather and Larksong."

"Fuzzheart! Gorsefeather! Larksong!" The Clans sang.

Ice was at the base of the Great Rock, prepared to spring.

"So yes, ThunderClan is doing spectacular, and are ready for the upcoming season of leaf-"

Ice's yowl cut him off as she leaped straight at him. Her claws hooked into his shoulders as her teeth tore into his throat. A rush of adrenaline kicked in as she realized she was doing it. She was going through with the plan, and it was happening.

Terrified gasps spread through the clearing like a wildfire as Flickerstar slid off of the Great Rock, blood pouring from the wounds Ice created. The golden she-cat and Breezestar had jumped away out of surprise, but the black tom faced her with anger plastered onto his expression. Quick as an adder, she dove at him, and with a swift swipe of the claws, he was staggering back off the Great Rock.

Ice laughed maliciously, silencing the Gathering. "You fools! What a perfect time to catch you all! Now your wonderful ancestors can watch you die right under them! The horror! The horror!" She laughed again.

"Who are you?" a cat demanded. "We'll kill you for taking one of our Leander's final life and insulting the name of our ancestors!"

Ice followed the sound of the voice until her gaze rested on the one called Fuzzheart. She crouched and was ready for an attack. Ice chortled at such a sight. "You think you can defeat me? Come up here, and be my guest."

Fuzzheart made a slight move but a Clanmate stood in front of her and shook her head. "We'll face her together."

"Ha! Like one can defeat four whole cats!"

Ice turned her head to one side and gaped when she saw that she was staring into the face of her mother. Snowshine. The white she-cat had her teeth bared, and Ice wondered if she remembered her.

"You think you can stand a chance?" Ice asked. "Let me explain then. I'm up here and the rest of you are down there. You can't exactly get up here to face me in a heart beat so that gives me plenty of time to make me move on each and every one of you, but I'll be sure to kill your leaders and deputies first."

Breezestar stiffened.

"And let's not forget that warrior code of yours, that restricts from basically everything."

Every cat seemed surprised at her knowledge of the code.

"There's nothing against killing a cat when we're threatened," a tabby said.

"Oh?" Ice said, grinning, "So you actually consider me, a single cat, a threat against all of you _fierce_ warriors? Well, isn't that pathetic." No cat said a word, though a few snarled and hissed at her. Several ran ahead to the Great Rock but they didn't get there in time before Ice started speaking again. "Where is Oakshade?" she hissed. "He shall be my next victim."

Snowshine replied. "He...was killed in by...a battle patrol two moons ago," she whispered. "But...how do you know about him? How do you know about any of this?"

_**She started out simple, she started out plain  
Her only goal in life just to change the game**_

"You don't recognize me?" asked Ice, feigning offense. "Well, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. After all, you all treated me either like I never existed, or like I was worthless, but I guess that you have the right to know. Here's a hint." She paused, smiling devilishly. "Hello..._mother_."

Snowshine's eyes stretched wide with horror and shock.

_**She saw the glory in her dreams  
Didn't take long to realize it's out of reach**_

Ice screeched, throwing herself off the Great Rock and barreling into her mother. Both she-cats screeched and yowled until a piercing shriek rang out and pinned all ears to heads. Ice pulled her claws out of Snowshine's neck, flicking a few drops of blood on the frosty grass.

_**The cold crept in over her slow  
She had to choose the path she didn't know  
The time would come she would just break  
Before she was in pieces, she had to escape**_

Before anyone could react, ice knew she had to leap into action before anyone could attack her back. Her eyes swept across the clearing of warriors until finally the landed on a pale gray she-cat, staring at her with terror dancing like flames in her eyes.

_**Darkness in her eyes leaves a staless sky  
The cold and freezing ice leaves her trapped inside**_

"Squirrelfur!" Ice hissed, bounding towards the pale gray she-cat. Before the medicine cat could even scream, she was pinned. Ice shifted her weigth from one side to another as she swatted other cats away from her. Quickly, she glared down at the trembling victim. "This is for doubting me even when I had nothing left to fall back on!" She reached down and snapped Squirrelfur's neck, splitting the air with a crisp crack of bone.

Ice took a blow from a dark tabby warrior before jumping away, out of reach of the other warriors.

_**'Cause she thought she could run away  
From all the pain of yesterday  
The cold wind froze her deep inside  
And now she's left trapped in ice**_

_They'll fall back eventually, if I don't first,_ Ice thought as a strike shoved her from behind. A gray leg pinned her to the grass.

"Stand back! I'll handle her!" the deep voice growled, one that Ice felt that she remembered.

_**Now she is her own worst fear  
With chilling screams no one can hear  
She had a brand new look on life  
And now she's left trapped in ice**_

Ice rolled over to look her attacker in the face. She gasped, thinking that she had found her next victim. Stoneclaw's words were taken in seriously because a cirlce of cats surrounded them, with no one in their space. It was the perfect chance.

"Stoneclaw," she greeted sweetly, catching his attention. "I have a secret for you." She lowered her voice. "Your brother isn't dead."

The gray tom looked surprised as she spoke, but it soon turned to fear as she sprang up and twisted, getting in reach of his shoulders. she took ahold of them and pinned them to the grass. Out of the corner of her eye, warriors lunged for her, so she drew her claws over his neck swiftly and evaded their teeth, diving for the Great Rock.

_**The battlefield's empty, when you're alone  
Even in this war with yourself, you can't contol  
She's pushing through the snow, with all she has left  
And leaving behind all she had known best**_

Her claws gripped a groove in the rock as a paw narrowly missed her scruff. Ice mentally thanked the adreniline she recieved before lifting herself up.

A paw caught on her shoulder.

_**Her dreams were broken by the cold hear truth, there  
And now with a heart of stone come closer, only if you dare**_

Someone yanked her down to the grass and Ice slammed against the ground, with a chilling agony that spread along her spine. With a grunt, she tried to get up but the paw held her down firmly, so firmly that it hurt.

_**'Cause she thought she could run away  
From all that pain of yesterday**_**  
**

Ice turned her head as much as she could to see who it was, if it was any cat that has hurt her in the past, a leader or a deputy, but what she saw, trapped the air in her throat.

Hailblaze.

_**The cold wind frose her deep inside,  
And now she's left trapped in ice**_

He gazed at her, blankly staring. His paw slowly went up from her shoulder to her neck. Ice widened her eyes in anger and astonishment as she saw what he was beginning to do.

"Get off me you mangy elder!" she growled, "Or would you like to end up as shreds under my claws!"

His voice slipped from his lips ruggedly. It was deep and soft, but with a certain bitterness that pointed hate at his own actions. He breathed ever so quietly, "You don't get it do you?"

_**Now she was her own worst fear  
With chilling screams no one can hear**_

"What?" she demanded, shwoing him her teeth.

He leaned into her, holding his muzzle directly next to her ear. Pain wrapped his voice as it was delivered from his mouth to her ear. "You don't get it do you?" he whsipered, capturing her attention, like she was frozen and her mind could only focus on his words.

She blinked.

"I'm the only one."

_**She had an brand new look on life**_

As his words found her ear, reality found her soul. Everything she's ever been through, the pain, happiness, excitement, jealously, guilt, anger, _evil _boomed in front of her eyes, as his gaze shone through it, staring into her mind, and her fear.

The fear of herself.

_**And now she's left...**_

How could she? _How could I? _

She looked into the depths of his green eyes that stared into hers.

_Hailblaze..._

_**...trapped in ice**_

_I'm so sorry. _

His claws sank into her throat. She didn't thrash or tremble, but she screamed, screamed at what she became and who she left behind. As the world blackened around her, Hailblaze stepped back, holding the blood with her blood smeared all over it. She felt her life spill from her body, as she screeched and yowled.

But before she slipped off into absolute emptiness, she cherished the last heart beat she had alive.

She...was...**_freed..._ **

**You hate me, I know you do, I can promise me that each and very one of you reading have some sort of hate guided directly at me for what I've done. When I first started the story, I never thought that it would become so popular, but it has, and so many of you love Frozenleaf and her story. I'm sorry. A million times over I'm sorry. **

**But guess what? Her story isn't over. You'll see her again in the sequel, and I might as well tell you what it's about. If you don't want to know, click away now, but if you do, read on. **

**She and Lionfire are reborn, to make things right again. **

**And I promise, that will have a happy ending. **

**Thank you my lovelies, for everything. Know that I love you and all of your support you've given me, stay tuned for the epilogue and the squel, soming soon. **

**~Destiny (and Nightstorm) **


	51. Epilogue

**You guys are truly all amazing. You don't hate me, and with an ending like this one, that's a great accomplishment. Thank you all so much for all your support for the story, and I'm glad you're looking forward to the sequel. I have a couple things planned before it, so for the summer, I'm booked on other fanfctions, but as soon as I am done with The War Within, I'm jumping right into the sequel. **

**Nightstorm: We'll try not to tempt you until then.**

**Me: That's right. Now for the final disclaimer of Trapped in Ice **

**Nightstorm: Born of True Destiny, and Nightstorm the Moon Warrior, do not own Warriors **

Epilogue

Graydawn sat with him as he processed fully what he had done, but it was much harder than he expected. To understand all that at truly happened that night would take seasons to grasp. He didn't know who he would become from this experience, nor if it would be anything at all. Would he change? Stay the same? Be trapped in the past? He was sure, though, that we would never forgive himself, and it wasn't just because he had ended it.

The blood on his paw that had begun to stain the frosted ground beneath him, would be the blood of one so misunderstood; one whose life itself was a sin, just because of what StarClan made of her destiny, her destiny to be the cat she had tried so hard to avoid and defeat, but she had not.

He did, and oh, how it hurt to know that he had to end it before she had the chance.

As if reading his thoughts, Graydawn turned to him. "Hailblaze, do not regret what you have done tonight. Many more would have been lost without you. Do you think her life was more valuable than the lives she had taken here?"

Hailblaze let out a sigh, shaken with despair. "It was for the good of the Clans," he rasped. "But not for the good of myself." He looked off into the forest. "I had always told myself that the meaning of being a Clancat was to be there for my Clanmates and help them when they needed. Perhaps what I had done was the right thing, but it certainly was not for my own good."

"I wish I understood your pain," Graydawn meowed, "But even if I don't, arguing will not undo what has been done tonight. I'll leave you in peace for now, Hailblaze, but one day, cats will come to ask you of this again. They will expect an answer." She stood, and turned towards the Gathering place.

"I will come with you," Hailblaze decided, rising to his paws.

"I don't know if that's best," said Graydawn, and she was about to say more, but she then saw the look on his face. "As you wish."

Together, they walked, reaching the middle of the Gathering place. There, five bodies lay, four of which were surrounded by grieving cats. One was left ignored.

Hailblaze tore his gaze from the single body and looked at the other four dead cats. Their previous leader, Flickerstar, was the first cat to have been killed. His ginger fur was matted with blood at the back of his neck, where he had been attacked. Graydawn was to take his place as leader.

_I wonder, if her father had not been killed, would he had been the successor, or would he had died as well? _

One of the other cats was Snowshine, her mother. Hailblaze closed his eyes upon seeing her. He couldn't handle looking at the white-furred cat who had made one of the greatest impacts. He turned his head to the side and opened his eyes once more to see Stoneclaw, one of ThunderClan's warriors. It was a shame he had been one of the victims. He spoke a few disrespectful words, and look where it had gotten him. The last cat was Squirrelfur, WindClan's old medicine cat. He knew why she had been one of the killed cats.

He looked around. He knew it all now.

And then there was the final body, the one that everyone else shunned. Hailblaze padded towards it, his heart sinking. He stood directly before the cat now, staring.

It was the body of Frozenleaf. The cat that he grieved, and the cat that he killed.

He held up his bloody paw, placing it over the tear in her neck that he had made with his claws. She was hardly recognizable from the last time he had seen her. She used to be so fair, so tiny, so misunderstood, and now she was covered with scars, an ear was shredded, and her eyes were cold. They held a type of horror that Hailblaze had never seen before. It wasn't horror at the pain of being killed, it was the horror at what she had become.

It hurt now, seeing that it was in her last breath, she had it all coming back to her. She had changed the moment his claws slit her throat, and now it was too late.

_A dark time is coming, with fire and ice. A lion will rise, but even with it's heart ablaze, it will not be enough to free the frozen one, who will chill the souls of the innocent. _

The words came to him as he gazed into her eyes. The words that he had been told so long ago, the ones that had faded from memory, as she did. He did not know who whispered them to him, but he knew one thing.

His anger.

No, they were wrong. They were all wrong. She would not chill the souls of the innocent. She _was_ the innocent. It was not her fault she had fallen into this cage that trapped her so tightly. Words had captured her, and his words freed her. It was not her, it never was, she was just the one chosen so cruelly to suffer the pain fate held for her.

Hailblaze felt eyes on him, and he looked up. If he were to be challenged for grieving this poor cat, it would be the worst of times. It wasn't fair anymore.

A cat, a tom, sat in the shadows, not even flinching at the sudden warning glare of Hailblaze. He looked thoughtfully back at him through amber eyes. Hailblaze thought that he should have known who the cat was, for something in his posture or unwavering gaze sparked a certain familiarity that he couldn't place. The cat stepped out from where he sat, in the shade of one of the four great oaks, and approached Hailblaze.

The tom, dark gray, and long-furred, sat across from Hailblaze in front of Frozenleaf's body. A paw was placed firmly over her eyes and with a single quick movement, he closed them shut.

Hailblaze glanced at the tom, still hypnotized by that one part of him that screamed a name within his mind, but sounded so muffled and unclear. He willed to speak, but no words would emit from his mouth, hanging slightly ajar.

The dark gray tom whispered, with a voice rough like a jagged stone. "I refused to leave, but I had not followed, not until I heard her scream." He glanced up. "She is terrible at keeping her promises."

They both were silent for a long time, both with a paw over the body.

The mysterious cat spoke again. "I had left her when she was the cat I loved, returned when she was the cat I despised, and now, here she is, as the cat I love again...dead."

"It is a sadness to be as well."

"I'd expect." He looked up again, not moving his head. "What do you feel? A certain emptiness that clings to your soul? A sadness, yes, but a numb feeling?"

"Shock," replied Hailblaze, and the cat nodded.

"Perhaps, but shock isn't numb. It stuns you, freezes you into place. This is much deeper than shock."

They again sat in silence. This time, Hailblaze was the first to break it.

"I'd ask who you are, but I fear that it would be pointless."

"I'd tell you, but it would matter none to you or to anyone here." He let out a soft chuckle. "It doesn't surprise me that you have no memory of who I am. I am sure that by now, my own mother would have to take hints." He paused, gaze flickering to Stoneclaw's motionless body, and then back to Frozenleaf's. "It is shame, what had happened. I do not know the whole story, but I am certain that this was unfair twist in fate."

"It was always meant to happen," corrected Hailblaze, with a slight sliver of hostility to his voice. "And in this way, but we had so deeply underestimated the impact." He stared blankly at the wound. "Where do you think she is now?"

"She cannot see us," rasped the dark gray tom almost immediately. "That much I know. I wonder, why did this have to happen, to a cat who had so much ahead of her?" He began trembling. "There was so much...why?" The last word came out a yowl, startling nearby cats.

A senior warrior, Wolfleap past by the two cats. He let out a snort. "Why do you mourn her? She was a disgrace and a curse from StarClan."

The words were barely out of his mouth by the time the dark gray tom's paw was whipping across his face. Wolfleap stumbled before finally hitting the ground and looking up, his eyes full of surprise.

"You daren't say that again!" the time spat. Hailblaze was astonished at his aggression after seeing him before, so calm and thoughtful.

Wolfleap bared his teeth, but said nothing. The dark gray cat looked back at Hailblaze and then at Frozenleaf, before dropping to the ground, shaking violently.

Hailblaze watched him, wary of the crowd that began to gather around them. He looked up to gaze at them all, as they all threw disgusted glares at Frozenleaf's scarred and bloody body.

"What is it still doing here?" someone asked. "Some cat needs to get it out of here. There's no way it should stay in StarClan's place of honor."

Upon hearing the words, Hailblaze growled. He looked down at the dark gray tom who still laid on the grass.

_You're right stranger, it's not fair. _

He yowled for the entire crowd to hear, capturing all of their attention. "How can you all say such a thing? Do you even know what she's been through to bring her her hatred at us all?" He snarled at a cat that tried to argue. "Silence! It didn't start with her! It started with us, neglecting her for her size, when all she wanted was to be one of us." The dark gray tom raised his head. Hailblaze nodded respectively at him. "She made a bad decision coming here and hurting many of us tonight, but she wasn't the only one who scarred and hated and shattered."

"Hailblaze..." Graydawn meowed softly.

"I mean every word."

"She killed our Clanmates! And broke the hearts of many others!" Breezestar hissed.

Hailblaze shot a malacious glare at the ShadowClan leader. "We did that to her, on the inside. I know one life doesn't equal many others, but she could have been some ing special, and we could've all seen it, if we weren't so blind." Hailblaze gazed down at the blood staining his paw and left a tear slip from his eye. "We were the ones that trapped her in ice. She was just trying to break free."

Silence engulfed the clearing. Hailblaze closed his eyes.

_StarClan, I don't know if I have done what I was supposed to all along, and I don't know if I made them see. But so help me, I will make things right again. It may not be today, and it may not be tomorrow, but I'll do it, so they all can open there eyes. I will help her find the truth in herself. _

_I will give her a second chance. _

Hailblaze opened his eyes. He still faced his crimson paw, the paw that was numb with the blood of the one he killed, and the one he grieved. Looking up, he thought he saw the sun rising above the horizon. It may have been just the dawn of a new day, but he saw it as much more than that, the dawn of a new era, that one day he would deliver.

**~THE END~ **

**Oh my gosh. I am just so grateful that almost exactly five months has past since a began to when I end. It took me five months to write a 51 chapter story, I'd say that's pretty good!**

**Don't take the message the wrong way. Ice was evil. Evil is bad, but always be wary and careful of how you treat others. You never know what impact it could have on them, and on those around you in the future. Something so small can one day change your life, and sometimes it's for the worse. Be careful me, lovelies out in this dangerous world. **

**But, really, thank you. Like, I love you! This story has really made an impact on my writing skills, and it's all thanks to you. You are the whole reason I post stories, and it looks like you got me writing a pretty good work of art. :) **

**Thanks. For everything. **

**See you at the sequel, but hopefully you will check out my other stories too! **

**~Love always, Destiny and Nightstorm **


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